Samsung Shares Story of One UI 8 Development for Foldable Devices

Last month, Samsung debuted its Android 16-based One UI 8 with seventh-generation foldables. The new OS brings a refined Galaxy experience with AI-powered tools, improved multitasking, and robust security. Today, the company has shared the story of One UI 8 development, highlighting close collaboration between its Mobile eXperience (MX) division and Google.

Samsung optimized the One UI 8 interface for foldable devices

Samsung formed a task force of customer experience, user experience, and development teams to shape One UI 8. The goal was to offer users a more powerful AI experience while optimizing the interface for foldable devices. The core concepts were summed up with three pillars: Multimodal AI, a form factor–optimized UX, and a proactive personalized experience.

Samsung says users can now experience Galaxy’s evolution into AI phones across multiple form factors. With One UI 8, Galaxy Z Flip 7, you can access AI features quickly without unfolding the device. Just press the side key button to launch Google’s Gemini Live on the FlexWindow and interact with AI in a natural way. Furthermore, Now Bar on the cover screen lets you check real-time sports scores, news, and more. Likewise, Now Brief delivers personalized insights at a glance.

The Galaxy Z Fold 7’s large screen makes multitasking easier with One UI 8. You can display Galaxy AI-generated results in Split view and freely move them for efficient multitasking. With Gemini Live, you can share the screen to ask questions to the AI chatbot while using multiple apps. Moreover, the expansive screen gives an enhanced experience with the Photo Assist tool. You can compare the original and edited versions of an image side by side for more refined image editing.

Enhanced experience with Samsung DeX

Samsung says it worked closely with Google from the very beginning to bring the latest features to One UI 8. As a result, Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 became the first devices to run Android 16 out of the box. Furthermore, the Korean firm’s DeX platform has evolved with the introduction of desktop windowing to the core Android platform.

One UI 8 also brings smoother animations, an adaptive clock, more streamlined Quick Share, Audio Eraser, and new pet profiles in Photo Assist. On the security side, Knox Enhanced Encrypted Protection (KEEP) and Knox Vault protect personal data and AI features from unauthorized access. The company says it will begin rolling out One UI 8 to other devices next month, starting with the Galaxy S25 series.