After waiting months, the Samsung One UI 7 Beta is finally rolling out

They say that the best things are worth waiting for, but for Samsung users, the wait for One UI 7 has been uncharacteristically long. Previously appearing in August, the December launch of the Beta for Samsung’s next-generation of software puts the company in an interesting position compared to previous years.

With the launch of the Galaxy S25 family of phones rumoured to be taking place on 22 January, the first devices to get the final version of One UI 7 are likely to be those new Galaxy S25 phones. In the past, older devices have had a One UI update, as well as the move to the related version of Android.

In 2024, however, things have been a little different – but those waiting to get a glimpse of what Samsung has to offer now have their wish fulfilled. The One UI 7 Beta will be coming to Galaxy S24 devices first, via the Samsung Members app, where you can opt into the Beta. Bear in mind that this is software that’s still in the final stages of development and there could be some things that don’t work exactly as they should.

What does the Samsung One UI 7 Beta do?

Samsung says that One UI 7 is designed to give you an “AI-first platform” as the company moves to strengthen its position set out by Galaxy AI.

There’s an expansion on the writing tools that were already in One UI 6, allowing assistance across apps. For those who struggle to get the right tone, or need a little help to sound more professional, One UI 7 is going to be more useful for you.

If you’re the sort of person who can’t remember the content of a call, then call transcripts can help you out, with the ability to translate into 20 languages.

There’s a big redesign for One UI 7 too, with a new notification system accessible from the lock screen. That includes the Now Bar, which will highlight current activities, such as timers, music or recording. The aim is to reduce the need to unlock the device to check the status of these features.

That’s partnered with new icons and a reduction of clutter in the design across the device, which should lead to a cleaner and slicker experience. That extends as far as the camera too, where advanced settings are simplified, including across the Pro modes, and it also includes zoom control for Pro video, allowing you to get smoother transitions when using zoom.

Samsung is also doubling down on security, thanks to Knox Matrix. This is designed to help Samsung users identify threats and be able to rapidly make changes to secure their device. This will also bring in passkey support for Samsung accounts, so you’ll be able to use fingerprint sensors across Samsung devices, rather than always using the password.

The One UI 7 Beta is now available to download through the Samsung Members app for those with a Galaxy S24, with the expectation that other recent devices will be added to the beta in the near future.