Three One UI 7 features I look forward to the most

I haven't been this excited about an upcoming One UI release in a long time. One UI 7 is one of Samsung's most ambitious projects in recent years, and I can't wait to see how it all comes together for the stable release and the Galaxy S25 series.

Many new and interesting changes are coming, but if I had to choose three favorite One UI 7 features I look forward to the most, the following would make the list:

• One UI 7 revamped UI blur engine: When done right, I think blur effects are one of the eye candy elements that can elevate the visual style of a UI and improve the experience.

Using just the right type and amount of blur across the UI can not only make things look better but also help direct the user's visual focus. The positive effects of a good blur engine are even more noticeable on larger screens. One UI 7 comes with new UI blur effects, and I think they look fantastic even in beta builds.

• One UI 7 AI-powered notifications: Notifications aren't always an issue on One UI 6.1 and earlier versions, but the current system isn't perfect. The more notifications you have in the drop-down notification panel, the harder it gets to organize everything, mark them as read, and focus on or interact with the ones that have a higher priority to you.

Using AI, One UI 7 is expected to improve notifications in three big ways. They will be organized by priority, they'll be grouped automatically, and they will be summarized using artificial intelligence. These upgrades should make interacting with notifications easier and more efficient.

• One UI 7 improves Sketch to Image: Samsung announced yesterday that the Sketch to Image tool will receive more advanced multimodal capabilities at Galaxy Unpacked — where the Galaxy S25 series will be unveiled.

Although this is not strictly a One UI 7 feature but more of an upgrade to the Galaxy AI suite, it seems like it will debut with the latest OS update and flagship phones.

I spent hours doodling in Sketch to Image for fun last year, and I am very much looking forward to these upgrades. Soon, Sketch to Image will not only turn simple sketches into more colorful illustrations but also be capable of processing instructions issued through text and voice commands.