Today marks a big day for Samsung users. The One UI 7.0 rollout has finally begun for the Galaxy S24 series, Galaxy Z Fold 6, Galaxy Z Flip 6, and the Fold Special Edition in Samsungโs home country. It will expand to more regions, including the USA, soon. Hot on its heels, Android Developers Blog details how widgets take center stage with One UI 7.0.
Google explains how app developers can have widget advantage with One UI 7.0
The One UI 7.0 update indeed puts widgets at the heart of the user experience. What that means is, widgets are now key tools for using apps quickly and easily. With that, Samsung is giving both developers and users a reason to playโฆ err, pay more attention to widgets. You see, widgets in One UI 7.0 are now more useful and customizable.
For users, this means faster access to app featuresโlike checking the weather, tracking orders, or managing musicโwithout needing to open the full app. One fine example is how the latest Weather app widget not only provides current weather conditions but also includes a Lifestyle Forecast feature. For developers, itโs a chance to create better ways for people to connect with their apps.
โThis update presents a prime opportunity for Android developers to enhance their app experience with a widget,โ says Andrรฉ Labontรฉ, Android Widgetโs senior product manager.
Samsung is also working with Google Play to help users discover apps with useful widgets. A new search filter will make it easier for people to find apps that offer widgets. App listings will now show a badge if widgets are available, making it clear what users are getting. Plus, thereโs a new editorial page in the Play Store that highlights some of the best widgets.
To support developers, Samsung and Android are rolling out tools to make widget design easier. Thereโs a new design kit for Figma users, quality guidelines to help apps meet top standards, and Jetpack Glance, which lets developers build modern, flexible widgets using Kotlin.
