The continuous evolution of mobile operating systems often resembles a conversation between rivals, where successful design elements from one ecosystem inevitably inspire changes in the other. In a significant development, Samsung’s latest One UI 8.5 beta for the Galaxy S25 series introduces a redesigned Quick Settings panel that incorporates features strikingly similar to Apple’s Control Center, most notably the adoption of vertical sliders for controls like brightness and volume. This is not merely a cosmetic tweak; it represents a fundamental shift in user interaction philosophy, driven by the practical challenges of modern smartphone design. As devices grow taller and user needs become more complex, the quest for a more intuitive and ergonomic interface has led Samsung to re-evaluate one of the most frequently used components of its software, signaling a strategic move to enhance usability and provide a level of customization that feels both powerful and familiar to a broad spectrum of users. This change, while incremental on the surface, carries significant implications for the daily user experience.
1. A New Level of Customization in Quick Settings
The most prominent change introduced in the One UI 8.5 beta is a profound increase in flexibility, empowering users with unprecedented control over the Quick Settings layout. A major highlight is the ability to separate the brightness and volume sliders, which were previously combined into a single module. Each slider can now be individually resized and, more importantly, switched to a vertical orientation that mirrors the design found in Apple’s Control Center. This vertical alignment is more than an aesthetic choice; it is widely considered a more natural and precise way to interact with controls on taller devices, allowing for finer adjustments with a simple thumb slide. This represents a significant leap from earlier versions of One UI, where customization was largely restricted to reordering the existing toggle icons. Now, the entire structure of the panel is modular, allowing for a personalized setup that aligns perfectly with individual workflows and preferences, making the interface feel less like a static tool and more like a dynamic extension of the user’s habits.
Beyond the sliders, Samsung has rethought the fundamental organization of the Quick Settings toggles themselves. Previously, these icons were often confined within collapsible panes, but the new design allows them to be placed more freely and independently across the panel. This approach to organization bears a resemblance to the way iOS groups controls, but it avoids direct imitation by integrating deeply with Android’s core strength: user choice. Instead of a rigid grid, users can create task-oriented clusters of toggles, keeping essential functions readily accessible while tucking away less frequently used options. This strikes a careful balance between the streamlined comfort of an organized layout and the powerful flexibility that Android users expect. The result is an interface that feels both clean and highly functional, allowing for micro-optimizations that can streamline daily interactions and reduce the time spent hunting for specific settings, thereby enhancing overall efficiency.
2. The Ergonomic and Practical Rationale
Ergonomics stands as a primary driver behind these significant design decisions, directly addressing the physical realities of using modern smartphones. As screen aspect ratios have become taller and narrower, interacting with horizontal sliders using a single thumb has grown increasingly cumbersome and unnatural. Reaching across the width of a large display to make a precise adjustment often requires an awkward grip or the use of a second hand. Vertical sliders solve this problem elegantly. They can be positioned along the left or right edge of the screen, aligning perfectly with the natural upward and downward arc of a thumb’s movement. This simple change dramatically improves one-handed usability and reduces physical strain. Furthermore, this vertical orientation maintains a consistent user experience when a device is switched between portrait and landscape modes, a common scenario for users of Samsung DeX or in-car mounting systems. This consistency minimizes the mental effort required to adapt to a changing interface.
Beyond the immediate ergonomic benefits, the new modularity of the Quick Settings panel facilitates the creation of task-based layouts that can significantly improve user efficiency. The ability to arrange toggles and sliders freely allows users to build custom control centers tailored to specific activities. For example, a content creator might group a vertical brightness slider right next to the screen recorder and a Do Not Disturb toggle, creating a dedicated hub for capturing footage without interruption. Similarly, a frequent traveler could assemble a connectivity cluster with Mobile Hotspot, Quick Share, and an NFC toggle for seamless on-the-go interactions. These are not just minor conveniences; they are micro-optimizations that shave seconds off repetitive tasks performed dozens or even hundreds of times a day. Over time, these small efficiencies compound, leading to a smoother, faster, and more personalized user experience that adapts to the user’s life rather than forcing the user to adapt to the device.
3. Accessing and Implementing the New Controls
For those eager to experience these changes firsthand, access is currently available to owners of the Galaxy S25 series who are enrolled in the One UI 8.5 beta program. Participation can be initiated through the Samsung Members application, though it is crucial to remember that this is pre-release software. As with any beta, users should anticipate the possibility of occasional glitches or instability and are strongly advised to perform a full backup of their device before opting into the program. Once the beta software is installed, navigating to the new customization options is straightforward. By accessing the Quick Settings panel and selecting the edit or layout button, users are presented with a comprehensive customization screen. From here, they can add or remove toggles, resize individual controls, and, with a single tap, flip sliders from their traditional horizontal orientation to the new vertical format, including splitting the brightness and volume controls into separate, independent elements.
Once inside the customization editor, the new system provides a wealth of practical applications for tailoring the interface. Users can immediately begin by implementing useful configurations, such as creating a tall, dedicated column of essential connectivity toggles like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and mobile data for at-a-glance control. Another popular setup involves placing a separate, slender volume slider purely for media control, freeing up space while keeping a critical function accessible. For enhanced one-handed use, a long brightness widget can be positioned along the most reachable edge of the display, compensating for the accessibility previously offered by the Edge Panel. To maintain a clean and uncluttered primary view, it is advisable to group the most frequently used toggles together and move less common items, such as Nearby Share or Ultra-wideband, to a secondary screen. This thoughtful arrangement ensures that the most important controls are always just a swipe away, transforming the Quick Settings panel into a highly efficient and personalized command center.
A Glimpse into a More Refined Future
The One UI 8.5 beta for the Galaxy S25 was a decisive move toward a more intelligent and ergonomically sound user interface. It showcased a thoughtful design that successfully integrated familiar concepts from a rival ecosystem without sacrificing its own identity, proving that inspiration does not have to be a synonym for imitation. The beta laid the essential groundwork for future refinements, with expectations that animations, spacing, and default layouts would be polished further ahead of the stable public release. The potential for expanding these vertical sliders and modular toggles to tablets and foldable devices, where screen real estate and varied use cases could make them even more impactful, represented a logical and exciting next step. Ultimately, the pre-release software demonstrated a clear commitment to enhancing the user experience by prioritizing both deep customization and ergonomic common sense. It established a positive and promising trajectory for the future of Android control panels, setting a new standard for what users could expect in terms of flexibility and intuitive design.
