Samsung recently released the first One UI 7 beta update for its foldable phones, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Flip 6. This shows us how the update looks on larger screens, which we exclusively leaked for tablets last week. However, the initial reception has been underwhelming at best. Letโs delve into what went wrong and explore potential fixes.
One UI 7 doesnโt look polished on larger screens, including foldables
Samsung hasnโt optimized One UI 7 enough to take advantage of the extra screen space on larger devices such as foldables. Each screen has plenty of blank space, making it feel like a blown-up phone UI. The tablet exacerbates this problem with even more blank space and the restriction of only aligning to the centre of the screen. This design choice not only wastes valuable screen real estate, but it also hampers the overall user experience, making it less intuitive and more cumbersome to navigate.
How can Samsung fix this annoying problem?
Iโve taken matters into my own hands, and created some mockups to demonstrate how One UI 7 on foldables and tablets should look (images attached below). I redesigned the UI with a dual panel design, making notifications and quick settings visible side-by-side. With a single swipe, you have access to everything available at once. This layout makes better use of the larger screen real estate, reducing the amount of blank space.
Some users may prefer them to be separate, and a simple toggle to switch between styles could easily be implemented. Only one screen could be opened at a time. This design helps the interface feel less cluttered while still taking advantage of the larger screen. Elements would align to the left and right sides of the screen, taking advantage of the larger screen real estate instead of centring everything.
In conclusion, the One UI 7 update for foldables and tablets currently falls short of expectations due to its poor utilization of screen space and lack of user-friendly features. By implementing a dual-panel layout and providing more customization options, Samsung can vastly improve the user experience on these devices. Listening to user feedback and making thoughtful design adjustments will be key to creating an interface that truly takes advantage of the larger displays. Ultimately, this will deliver a more intuitive and enjoyable experience for all users.
