[Interview] ‘When Foldables Meet AI’ — Behind the Scenes of One UI 8’s Growth – Samsung World Newsroom

Launched final month alongside Galaxy Z Fold7 and Z Flip7, One UI 8 delivers a wholly new cellular expertise born from the synergy of foldable design and AI. Notably, this launch marks the primary time a tool has shipped with Android 16 out of the field, an achievement that was made potential by way of shut collaboration with Google. This implies Galaxy customers take pleasure in quicker entry to the most recent era of Android, together with the extra refined expertise it brings in tandem with One UI 8.

To listen to the story of how One UI 8 got here collectively, Samsung Newsroom sat down with three of the main minds behind the brand new consumer interface: Mihyun Jeong and Joonhwan Kim, who have been in command of growth, and Nawoong Han who coordinated collaboration with Google — all from Samsung Electronics’ Cellular eXperience (MX) Enterprise.

▲ (From left) Nawoong Han, Framework Growth Crew; Mihyun Jeong, Expertise Planning Crew; and Joonhwan Kim, UX Crew of Samsung Electronics’ MX Enterprise

A Customized Each day Expertise, Powered by AI and Foldables

One UI 8 takes Galaxy’s distinctive foldable type issue to the subsequent degree, delivering an much more highly effective AI expertise. Jeong, who was in command of One UI planning, famous that as AI know-how quickly advances, consumer expectations are additionally rising — making One UI each extra advanced and extra essential. “To deal with this, Samsung’s buyer expertise (CX), consumer expertise (UX) and growth groups shaped a process pressure that targeted on defining the core ideas and enhancing the general high quality of One UI 8,” she stated. “Because of this, these core ideas have been summed up as ‘multimodal AI, a type issue–optimized UX and a proactive customized expertise.”

Kim, who was in command of One UI design for foldables, highlighted the design idea for One UI 8 — “When Foldables Meet AI” — because the convergence of type components and AI innovation. “From the FlexWindow of Galaxy Z Flip7 to the expansive essential show of Galaxy Z Fold7, customers can now expertise Galaxy’s evolution into AI telephones throughout a number of type components,” he defined.

AI Innovation on the FlexWindow

With One UI 8, Galaxy Z Flip7 lets customers entry AI options rapidly and effortlessly, even with out unfolding the gadget. A easy press of the aspect key launches Gemini Reside, and its FlexWindow-optimized UX allows pure, conversational interactions with AI, as if chatting with a pal.

“You may, for instance, view what’s proven on the digicam and communicate with AI in actual time, or add occasions on to your calendar. On a regular basis duties change into fast and easy,” Jeong added.

▲ Mihyun Jeong from the MX Enterprise demonstrates how One UI 8 allows quick access to AI capabilities on Galaxy Z Flip7’s FlexWindow.

The expanded FlexWindow on Galaxy Z Flip7 additionally makes it straightforward to examine real-time sports activities scores, information, app updates and extra by way of Now Bar. Plus, Now Temporary delivers richer, extra customized info and insights, all out there at a look from the Flex Window.

Innovating Multitasking on a Massive Display screen

Galaxy Z Fold7’s massive essential show brings out the complete potential of One UI 8. “On the massive display, you possibly can show Galaxy AI-generated ends in Cut up view or in Floating view, and freely resize or transfer them for extremely environment friendly multitasking,” defined Kim.

Powered by multimodal AI that understands advanced contexts, Display screen sharing on Gemini Reside allows customers to share their present display with AI in actual time, even whereas operating a number of apps, and immediately ask questions.

Galaxy AI’s Photograph Help additionally takes full benefit of the expansive display. By inserting the unique and edited variations of a picture aspect by aspect, customers can examine each element with precision for extra refined picture modifying.

▲ Joonhwan Kim from the MX Enterprise demonstrates how One UI 8 allows environment friendly multitasking on Galaxy Z Fold7.

Perfected By means of Shut Collaboration With Google

On the basis of One UI 8’s refined AI expertise is a particular partnership with Google. “Each firms labored collectively from the very starting, defining ideas through the early strategy planning stage and collaborating all through the method to deliver the most recent options to One UI 8,” defined Han, who managed joint efforts with the Android workforce at Google.

▲ Nawoong Han from the MX Enterprise explains the collaboration course of with the Android workforce at Google.

The way in which the 2 groups labored collectively was additionally unprecedented. “We collaborated with Google in actual time, utilizing a shared growth department that allowed us to trade code across the clock and repair bugs on the fly,” stated Han. Due to this shut collaboration on the engineering degree, Galaxy Z Fold7 and Z Flip7 turned the primary units to function Android 16 out of the field.

▲ With One UI 8, Gemini may be activated straight from Galaxy Z Flip7’s FlexWindow with out unfolding the gadget.

Additionally, a product of our cohesive teamwork is bringing a extra multimodal Google Gemini Reside expertise to the Galaxy Z Fold7 and Z Flip7 — this implies you possibly can ask Gemini something about what you see. Sharing your digicam or display in Gemini Reside conversations permits for extra pure and useful interactions within the second. This technological synergy ensures Samsung apps have been linked to the multimodal expertise.

The event of Samsung DeX for One UI 8 is a chief instance of the deep partnership between the 2 firms. Initially developed by Samsung, by way of shut collaboration with Google, we have been capable of evolve DeX to handle key consumer points and in addition introduce desktop windowing to the core Android platform. From the underlying construction to detailed consumer eventualities, Samsung contributed its experience constructed over years of working DeX to the joint growth effort. This new desktop windowing expertise provides app builders a constant expertise and can speed up productiveness on Android units.

“I traveled between Korea and the UK a number of instances for workshops with Google. We’d collect in entrance of a whiteboard, sketching out display transition flows and discussing even the smallest particulars,” recalled Han.

“We spent a lot time collectively that our teamwork turned rock stable. We made matching workforce hoodies and later grew shut sufficient to even ask about one another’s pets,” he added with a smile. For customers, the results of this tight bond was a extra highly effective and productive Samsung DeX.

Emotion-Embracing Design, Backed by Sturdy Safety

One UI 8 locations as a lot emphasis on considerate design because it does on highly effective AI options. “Along with the climate app, which acquired significantly optimistic suggestions throughout beta testing, we enhanced animations and visible results throughout different on a regular basis apps to create a extra immersive expertise,” stated Kim.

“In One UI 8, the clock can acknowledge the topic in a selected wallpaper and organically align itself with its define. This function shouldn’t be solely out there on the principle show but additionally on Galaxy Z Flip7’s FlexWindow,” he added, introducing it as a component that brings a way of liveliness to One UI 8’s design.

Jeong added that past AI, One UI 8 additionally brings a bunch of enhancements designed to maximise on a regular basis comfort. She highlighted options similar to a extra streamlined Fast Share for simpler content material sharing; Audio Eraser, which reduces undesirable background noise in movies and audio recordings on the contact of a button; and 4 new pet profiles added to the Portrait Studio in Photograph Help.

▲ Mihyun Jeong (left) and Joonhwan Kim (proper) clarify the event course of behind One UI 8.

Safety, now extra essential than ever within the AI period, has additionally been strengthened. One UI 8 makes use of a brand new safety resolution, Knox Enhanced Encrypted Safety (KEEP), and Knox Vault to guard customized AI options and additional safeguard consumer information by blocking unauthorized entry.

“We totally perceive the safety considerations customers might have within the AI period,” stated Jeong. “That’s why we’ve constructed highly effective threat-blocking mechanisms into the gadget, whereas additionally offering and constantly upgrading a spread of safety instruments that customers can simply use and handle by themselves.”

New On a regular basis Life With One UI 8

One UI 8 marks the start of a brand new consumer expertise born from the fusion of foldables and AI.

“These are fully new foldable experiences — in contrast to something earlier than. By means of One UI, we are going to naturally join customers with AI to ship much more efficient automation and personalization,” stated Jeong, expressing confidence within the developments One UI 8 brings.

“From bar-type telephones to foldables and tablets, we hope our type issue–optimized AI experiences will deliver even larger worth and pleasure to customers’ day by day lives,” Kim added.

Wanting forward, Samsung’s collaboration with Google is about to deepen additional. “The extra superior the know-how turns into, the extra essential collaboration will probably be,” famous Han. “We intention to broaden our partnership with Google throughout all areas of Galaxy, particularly in AI — so keep tuned.”

One UI 8 will start rolling out to different units in September, beginning with the Galaxy S25 collection. By taking the synergy between AI and Samsung’s foldable type components to new heights, the brand new consumer interface guarantees to open up new prospects for on a regular basis life.