Samsung finally admits horizontal scrolling was a mistake

In the ongoing evolution of smartphone user interfaces, Samsung has announced a significant change to its app browsing experience, reflecting a trend toward increased intuitiveness in design. This update is set to be included in the upcoming One UI 7 version, which is currently available for testing in beta form. Traditionally, Samsung users navigated their apps using a horizontal scrolling method, a decision that has not aligned well with the modern Android experience that typically employs vertical scrolling. The new vertical scroll feature allows users to maintain the same upward swipe motion to access their app drawer, streamlining the overall usability of Samsung devices. This shift aligns Samsung more closely with other major Android manufacturers such as Google Pixel, OnePlus, and Motorola, which have adopted vertical scrolling since the launch of Android. By incorporating vertical scrolling, Samsung aims to enhance user experience and minimize navigational errors that arose from the switch between horizontal app browsing and vertical scrolling in other contexts of the operating system. The modification represents a broader movement among Android manufacturers to converge on a standardized user interface design, possibly in response to increasing competition from Apple's iOS, which promotes a cohesive interaction model across its devices. The One UI 7 update will also introduce several other features aimed at improving functionality and user experience. Among these is an AI tool designed to summarize text instantly. Users will no longer need to cut, copy, and paste text into another application, as this capability will be integrated into the operating system. Additionally, the new software will include call transcripts, providing users with written records of their conversations and supporting multiple languages. This illustrates Samsung's commitment to enhancing the communicative capabilities of its devices. Furthermore, a new aspect of the interface, named the Now Bar, will allow users to interact with various functionalities on their lock screens, such as starting interpreters, recording audio, or using a stopwatch. The camera interface also sees improvements, becoming more intuitive for the user. Overall, this UI update arrives at a crucial moment, as Samsung continues to solidify its dominance as the leading smartphone manufacturer and strives to create a more harmonious and user-friendly Android experience.