{"id":632491,"date":"2026-10-16T14:34:15","date_gmt":"2026-10-16T14:34:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/632491\/"},"modified":"2026-10-16T14:34:15","modified_gmt":"2026-10-16T14:34:15","slug":"samsungs-one-ui-update-proves-everything-google-is-doing-with-pixel-is-completely-wrong","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/632491\/","title":{"rendered":"Samsung’s One UI update proves everything Google is doing with Pixel is completely wrong"},"content":{"rendered":"

Samsung has started rolling out One UI 9 to more users<\/a>. I’ve been rocking it on my Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 for a couple of weeks. <\/p>\n

At first, I didn’t expect anything grand, but after a few days of testing the tweaks and additions, I realized timely releases or fancier features don’t matter anymore.<\/p>\n

That’s not a bad thing, and that’s something I wish Google had done with the Pixel, but no.<\/p>\n

One UI 9 is timid in features<\/p>\n

But it brings big fixes and stability<\/p>\n

Samsung’s One UI 9 doesn’t bring any impactful changes, unlike One UI 8 or even the recent major Pixel update, but it delivers what matters most to its users: fewer perks, plus bigger fixes and stability.<\/p>\n

It’s true that it fails to impress those who expected Samsung to match what Google shipped a few months ago.<\/p>\n

But it doesn’t need to always lean heavily on new tricks and overhauls. This is the right balance.<\/p>\n

However, the most noticeable cosmetic changes in One UI 9 are Now Brief and Now Nudge, which you can personalize by feed or card type. Users can also add a dedicated Finder widget alongside the Google widget on the home screen.<\/p>\n

On Galaxy Flip phones like my Flip 7, these are even more useful, as they become full cover screen widgets where you can add favorite apps.<\/p>\n

Quick Settings has also received a fair share of practical improvements, allowing more dynamic resizing and button positioning.<\/p>\n

At the app level, we get a new FanCam mode in the camera and upgrades to Samsung Notes.<\/p>\n

Overall, One UI 9 is timid, focusing on improving existing capabilities rather than introducing entirely new additions, which I am glad to see over flashy gimmicks.<\/p>\n

Samsung is becoming more careful with its updates<\/p>\n

And they hit the right note<\/p>\n

\"Samsung<\/p>\n

We’re seeing an emerging theme in the One UI 8.0 and 8.5 releases.<\/p>\n

They are nothing to gloss over compared to Pixel’s releases, like the Pixel Drop on Android 17 in June.<\/p>\n

I’m not saying it is any better than getting no additions at all, but this is exactly the approach I was hoping for on my Pixel. Why?<\/p>\n

In recent releases, including the September firmware<\/a>, my Google Pixel 9 Pro XL was mired in frustrating bugs that impacted the device’s performance and battery life. <\/p>\n

I had battery woes from day one, and they lasted about a week. My Pixel phone lost a quarter of its battery in a few hours, even when it was mostly idle. I looked online, and I wasn’t alone.<\/p>\n

That’s not all, because even before that, the June and March Pixel Feature Drops<\/a> made the same mess, ranging from camera and display freezing to poor stability. <\/p>\n

While it’s always great to get continued, regular, fresh capabilities, I’ve come to realize a bad build can spoil the experience even if it bundles a suite of new perks.<\/p>\n

At one point, I wished the Pixel update had fewer features, or that Google would postpone them to prioritize fixing underlying issues and improving optimizations.<\/p>\n

I saw that with Samsung’s One UI approach.<\/p>\n


\n \"A<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Related<\/p>\n

\t\t
\n\t\t\tI’m a Pixel fan, but the latest OneUI update is making me jealous
\n\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

The Quick Settings redesign is perfect<\/p>\n

Why I’m more confident with One UI than Pixel<\/p>\n

Samsung prioritizes fixes and optimization<\/p>\n

\"Samsung<\/p>\n

Over the last few major releases, I’ve noticed fewer additions, but it also put me at ease that the firmware wouldn’t unexpectedly botch my Galaxy device.<\/p>\n

The recent One UI 9 build not only polishes many rough edges, but I also feel my Galaxy Z Flip 7 runs faster and more stable than before the update.<\/p>\n

The battery life is more consistent than before. I can get through the afternoon without hunting for the charger, and I still have a bit of juice to spare until dinner.<\/p>\n

The difference isn’t significant enough to make the Galaxy Z Flip last a full day, but I appreciate it, since there were no instances of random power drain.<\/p>\n

There’s also less stuttering when navigating, which I mentioned when I tested Lawnchair to avoid One UI<\/a>, which had acted up a few times before. <\/p>\n

In general use, I am more confident that the Galaxy Z Flip won’t slip and get random hiccups during everyday usage.<\/p>\n


\n \"Pixel<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Related<\/p>\n

\t\t
\n\t\t\tI deleted these Google apps for third-party options; my Pixel phone finally runs faster
\n\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

I’m never going back to these apps again<\/p>\n

Google should stop messing with its updates<\/p>\n

Every bad release damages Google’s reputation<\/p>\n

\"Google<\/p>\n

I understand that Google has been genuine in trying to make my Pixel phone better, and Android in general.<\/p>\n

But it misses the mark on what users actually want from the software package.<\/p>\n

I would love to have a new set of tools added regularly, but when my device feels sluggish or suffers random, dreaded battery drain, it undermines the experience.<\/p>\n

I haven’t felt my Pixel acting up only in recent patches. This issue has persisted for a few years.<\/p>\n

I am wondering why Google hasn’t pulled the strings here, despite the major uproar and user complaints across Google’s community forums and social media.<\/p>\n

Really, Google? I really think it’s time to seriously prioritize optimization.<\/p>\n


\n \"Samsung<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Related<\/p>\n

\t\t
\n\t\t\t5 Good Lock customizations to try before One UI 9
\n\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

You need One UI 8.5 for these to work<\/p>\n

We need more stability than features on Android 18<\/p>\n

\"Samsung<\/p>\n

I would gladly welcome that shift as long as it makes my phone feel stable and reliable, even if that means fewer flashy additions and slower rollouts.<\/p>\n

I hope that in the next Pixel Feature Drop, or in the upcoming firmware builds leading up to Android 18, we’ll finally see Google stop obsessing over half-baked gimmicks<\/a> and start delivering real stability improvements. <\/p>\n

And it should clearly take a page from Samsung’s approach to managing updates.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Samsung has started rolling out One UI 9 to more users. I’ve been rocking it on my Samsung…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":632492,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[342,111,139,69,145],"class_list":["post-632491","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-mobile","tag-mobile","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/632491","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=632491"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/632491\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/632492"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=632491"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=632491"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=632491"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}