Samsung One UI 9 driving report: Galaxy AI gets smarter, notification overload gets easier to manage, and camera gains new tricks; check all changes

Samsung One UI 9 brings a range of software enhancements to some Galaxy smartphones, focusing on Galaxy AI, home screen customisation, camera controls and system management. The update introduces smarter notification tools, expanded personalisation options and features designed to make everyday tasks easier, alongside improvements to video recording and photography. The update introduces several Galaxy AI tools, including Call Brief, My FanCam, Now Nudge and custom cards for Now Brief.

Call Brief provides contextual information during calls, such as relevant calendar events and local time details when contacting someone in another country. My FanCam allows users to select a person in an existing video and create a cropped clip that follows their movements, including in recordings made before the update.

Now Nudge offers suggestions based on information displayed on the phone. For example, when a message mentions a date and time, the feature may suggest adding the details to the calendar.


Now Brief also gains greater personalisation through custom cards covering information such as weather, health and videos. Users can choose which cards appear and set their preferred display times, with up to three custom cards available at once.

Call Brief is not available on certain Fan Edition devices, including the Galaxy S24 FE, S25 FE and S26 FE.

Home screen customisation gets more flexible

Samsung has added more ways to access search directly from the home screen. Users can place Google Search and Samsung Finder bars at the bottom of the display, depending on their preferences.

While Google Search is designed for web searches, Samsung Finder helps locate apps, settings and content stored on the device. Both options can be enabled or disabled through the home screen settings.

The update also introduces Bixby home screen widgets, allowing users to type or speak commands without opening the assistant separately. Bixby can use Perplexity to provide web-based answers within its interface.

Samsung has also streamlined the Settings menu. Some descriptions have been removed from the main listings and moved into individual feature pages, giving the interface a cleaner appearance while retaining access to detailed information.

Samsung DeX and Device Care get useful upgrades

One UI 9 improves Samsung DeX, which provides a desktop-style interface on compatible Galaxy devices. Updated desktop previews and easier switching between desktops help users manage multiple workspaces. A new setting also allows the status bar and taskbar to be hidden automatically.

Device Care gains a feature called Block apps with excessive ads. It can place apps that frequently send advertising notifications into deep sleep, while an intelligent blocking option analyses notifications to help identify advertising alerts.

The update also includes Motion Assist, a feature designed to help reduce motion sickness while travelling. It displays moving visual elements on the screen to help users manage discomfort associated with viewing a phone in a moving vehicle.

Notification management gets smarter

Samsung has introduced Notification highlights, which includes tools to summarise conversations and prioritise important alerts.

Summarise notifications provides short overviews of unread conversations, helping users catch up on messages without opening every chat. Prioritise notifications moves important and time-sensitive alerts higher in the notification panel, making them easier to find.

The two tools can be enabled separately or used together on supported devices, helping users manage a crowded notification panel more efficiently.

Camera updates improve video recording

One UI 9 brings additional camera controls and recording options to supported Galaxy devices.

Super Steady with Horizontal Lock helps keep the horizon level while recording, even when the phone tilts or rotates. This is useful for action footage and videos captured while moving.

The update also brings a newer Dual Recording shortcut in Video mode, alongside horizontal and vertical split-layout options for combining recordings. These controls make it easier to capture footage using different camera perspectives in a single video.

Camera Assistant provides additional photography options on supported devices, including a 24MP shooting setting in standard Photo mode. The Expert RAW app also offers advanced photography controls and supports 24MP image capture.

Night mode gets more control over low-light photography

Samsung has revised Night mode controls on supported Galaxy devices, allowing users to choose between Auto, Max and Off directly within Photo mode.

These settings provide greater control over how the camera handles low-light scenes without requiring users to switch to a separate shooting mode. Those who prefer the traditional interface can restore the dedicated Night mode through Camera Assistant on supported devices.

The changes give users more flexibility when photographing night scenes, whether they want automatic processing or greater control over the camera's low-light behaviour.

Pro Video mode offers additional recording options

One UI 9 also brings expanded frame-rate choices to supported devices in Pro Video mode. Depending on the device and resolution, users can access additional recording options, including 48fps, 50fps and 100fps for certain 4K formats, as well as 25fps recording in 8K.

These options provide greater flexibility for users who want more control over the appearance and playback of their footage. While standard recording settings may be sufficient for everyday videos, additional frame rates can be useful for specialised filming requirements.