After a brief delay, Samsung has announced the launch of its beta program for One UI 6, its version of Android that’s based on this year’s Android 14 release. Key features for this next revision are a simplified design and more customization options.
Samsung is kicking off its One UI 6 beta program
The first phones to get to try the beta will be Samsung’s S23 lineup.
The first phones to get to try the beta will be Samsung’s S23 lineup.
is a senior reporter covering technology, gaming, and more. He joined The Verge in 2019 after nearly two years at Techmeme.
On the design front, “many elements have been tweaked to create a more modern look and feel,” according to a press release from Samsung. That includes a new default font and new emoji you can use from the Samsung Keyboard. The company has also updated the look of the Quick Panel so that you can more easily get to commonly-used features.
As for customization, One UI 6 will let you choose specific lock screens that are tied to certain Modes and Routines, which sounds a lot like what you can do with the iPhone’s lock screens and Focus modes.
Unfortunately, the One UI 6 beta will only be available on the Galaxy S23 lineup to start — if you’re about to pick up one of Samsung’s latest foldables, you’re out of luck for now. But if you’ve got an S23 phone and you’re in the US, Germany, or South Korea, you’re now “invited to join” the One UI 6 beta program.
Update August 10th, 12:17PM ET: Samsung told The Verge under embargo that the One UI 6 beta would launch on Thursday, but it isn’t live yet. Our original story follows; we will update with more details and timing information once it’s available.
Update August 11th, 3:44AM ET: Updated to note that Samsung has publicly announced the start of the One UI 6 beta.
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