5 reasons One UI 7 appeals to me as a staunch Pixel fan

I’ve been a staunch Pixel fan since the day I upgraded to the Pixel 2XL from the Samsung Galaxy S7. To me, the difference was night and day. Here was a phone that dispensed with unnecessary features to deliver a rock-solid Android experience.

As someone who values functionality over features, the various OneUI updates over the years have done little to dispense my image of OneUI as a bloated operating system. However, the upcoming launch of OneUI 7 has caught my eye. While I don’t think I’m ready to switch yet as my Pixel 8 is too good a phone to give up, here’s why One UI 7 appeals to me as a Pixel fan.

5

There’s a genuine attempt to improve the user experience

Samsung is taking a fresh look at the Android experience

The launch of the Pixel 9 raised a few eyebrows at Android Police, as it wasn’t accompanied by a fresh Android release. When Android 15 finally hit our phones in October 2024, it was surprisingly lackluster considering how long we waited.

While Android 15 included subtle improvements, it didn’t make me think about how I use my phone. Enter One UI 7, with its split notification and quick settings menus, multiple app drawer options, and a refreshed palette and font. There’s a lot of inspiration taken from iOS here, but it all adds up to a meaningful update that made me realize that Android still has plenty of room for change.

I’m not in favor of dramatic UI redesigns for the sake of change. My Android phone is a tool, not a toy, and I don’t want to have to relearn how to use it with every Android update. Nevertheless, Samsung’s redesigned notification shade is a clear example of how there’s always room for improvement.

Yes, third-party launchers exist, but I believe that Android phones should offer a great user experience out of the box. The Pixel experience feels more bland than ever, while One UI 7 adds improvements I didn’t know I needed.

4

One UI is more customizable than ever, without the bloat

Customization options are more than marketing tricks

One UI has always offered extensive customization options, but I rarely felt that they were necessary. Good Lock was the primary source of customization options, but it doesn’t come preinstalled. Hiding the interesting customization options behind an app means it’s easy to miss them. And don’t even get me started on Galaxy Themes; is anyone buying these mediocre app icons and wallpapers?

The Pixel Launcher has always offered just the right amount of customization options out of the box. There’s enough flexibility to tweak the Android experience to my needs, without relying on extra apps.

However, One UI 7 includes more lock screen widgets, bigger app folders, and a highly customizable quick settings panel. These features can change how you use your Android phone for the better, and you don’t need to download separate apps from the Play Store to find them.

The Pixel Launcher’s limited lock screen customization and lack of app organization choices seem especially bare next to One UI’s options. While Good Lock still doesn’t appeal to me, it’s also been upgraded with more features.

3

The Now Bar is an AI-powered tool I would actually use

Another useful feature inspired by iOS

I rarely use the AI features on my Pixel phone in my personal time. While I’ve experimented with tools like Gemini, Audio Eraser, and AI wallpapers, I don’t tend to find a use for them in my day-to-day life. One UI 7 introduces a host of AI features I would rarely touch, except for the Now Bar.

The Now Bar uses on-device machine learning to present relevant data on your lock screen before you ask for it. For example, if you listen to music at regular intervals, the Now Bar will bring up your playlist before you open YouTube Music or Spotify. It could also offer to order you an Uber a few hours before a flight.

Of course, it will take extensive testing to determine its usefulness. Nevertheless, it’s the first AI feature I’ve been excited for, and it’s not on a Pixel phone.

2

Notification filters should be a stock Android feature

Why hasn’t Google introduced this yet?

One UI 7’s notification filters group old notifications, notifications that show an app is running in the background, and minimized notifications, in one place. It’s an incredibly useful tool that I can’t believe Google hasn’t integrated into stock Android yet.

Notification filters contribute to the impression that One UI 7 is built to improve the Android user experience. Touches like notification filters are so obvious, that it only reinforces my opinion that Google no longer provides the most useful Android experience.

1

A reduction in clutter in all areas

Minimalism is key

I love the Pixel Launcher’s clutter-free experience. While I think that Google has leaned a little too far into the “less is more” design philosophy, its Android skin is overall easy and enjoyable to use. However, Samsung has reduced the screen clutter in many areas of One UI, notably in the camera app.

With One UI 7, I no longer think of One UI as a cluttered mess of customization options and unnecessary features. My Pixel phone feels slightly inadequate compared to the wealth of useful features found in Samsung’s version of Android 15.

Why I’m still not ready to make the switch

One UI 7 has changed the Samsung Galaxy experience to one that appeals to me as a Pixel user. From reducing clutter, to introducing features that I think should be on stock Android, part of me is tempted to make the switch to a Galaxy S24 or S25.

However, my Pixel 8 is a fantastic phone. It’s the perfect size, with a great camera, and enough power for all my needs. The upcoming features of Android 16 may also go some way to alleviating my jealousy of One UI