Avoiding the newest models of consumer electronics, such as cellphones, headphones, or Bluetooth speakers, is a terrific method to save money. Purchase the prior model at a reduced price. For example, take a look at this: the Google Pixel Watch 2 fitness smartwatch is currently on sale for just $150, which is its lowest price ever. That is $250 cheaper than the list price of the Google Pixel Watch 3 and $100 less than its list price.
Google Pixel Watch 2
The Pixel Watch 2 comes with three new advanced sensors for heart rate tracking, skin temperature, and stress management; 100% recycled light aluminum housing makes it comfortable to wear
The Google Pixel Watch 2 strikes a mix between functionality and style. Although it comes in a wide range of vibrant hues, the gold case with the hazel band, the silver case with the bay blue band, and the silver case with the porcelain band are the only ones eligible for the $100 savings that are currently in effect. Fortunately, all three of these appear excellent.
These costs apply to models that are Wi-Fi only. There is good news if you were expecting to get an LTE model so you could put your phone away while working out. Additionally, several of those models are now only $200. The Google Pixel Watch 2 LTE model is available on Amazon in the following case styles: silver with the bay blue band, gold with the hazel band, black with the obsidian band, and silver with the porcelain band. Therefore, you will need to purchase the LTE model if you wanted it in black.
Google Pixel Watch 2
The Pixel Watch 2 comes with three new advanced sensors for heart rate tracking, skin temperature, and stress management; 100% recycled light aluminum housing makes it comfortable to wear
The watch serves as your personal fitness coach by utilizing Google AI. Depending on your objectives, running history, and level of readiness each day, it can suggest running exercises. As you follow these suggestions, you will see an immediate improvement in your running performance as you get more comfortable covering greater distances at faster speeds. You may even create your own runs that include pace training, cooldowns, and warmups. You can track your PRs as you repeat your exercises and access the ones you have saved.
The battery lasts a long time. You can use the watch continuously for up to 24 hours with the always-on display. Additionally, it just takes 75 minutes to charge from a dead watch to full power for the day.
Now is a good time to concentrate on enhancing your well-being as spring approaches. A smartwatch is a fantastic addition to your fitness and health toolset for tracking your workouts and recuperation. You can save $80 or 27% right now when Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 7 with AI capabilities returns to its lowest price of $219 on Amazon, down from $299.
This deal is valid for the 40 mm Wi-Fi-only model in the green colorway. The 44 mm in Green is also $80 off, lowering its price from $329 to $249 if you would rather have a larger model.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 40 mm Wi-Fi
Looking for a great way to bring out your personal best every day? Challenge yourself to excel on your next run or bike ride using tracking with Galaxy AI¹ that lets you compare your current performance to your last one
In the second half of last year, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra. The standard model has both minor and major improvements under the hood, despite having a fairly identical appearance to its predecessor.
Along with military-grade durability and an IP68 rating with 5 ATM water resistance, the wristwatch maintains its brilliant and colorful AMOLED display, making it appropriate for outdoor sports like swimming and snorkeling.
It has a better BioActive sensor with additional LED lights inside. As a result, blood oxygen saturation, heart rate, and other parameters like stress and sleep are measured more precisely. The Exynos W1000 processor, which boosts the CPU’s speed and efficiency by three cores to five, powers the smartwatch. Overall performance should be faster and more consistent.
New AI-powered tracking features like improved AI insights, sleep apnea detection, AGEs index, and Energy Score are also included in the Galaxy Watch 7. You may also mix and match different elements and objectives to make your workouts unique.
Depending on your preferences, the Galaxy Watch 7’s battery can last anywhere from a few days to three days. This is better than what the Apple Watch Series can usually do. Additionally, charging is considerably faster than before.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 40 mm Wi-Fi
Looking for a great way to bring out your personal best every day? Challenge yourself to excel on your next run or bike ride using tracking with Galaxy AI¹ that lets you compare your current performance to your last one
There is no sugarcoating it. Samsung botched the deployment of One UI 7 on the top Galaxy phones. Still, it is one of the most significant redesigns in One UI history, adding an unmatched level of polish to the company’s appearance. You have surely heard about the Now Bar and the huge Galaxy AI improvements in One UI 7, but here are several tiny, underappreciated updates you might have overlooked.
Double-tap playback controls in AOD
Now Bar is one of the significant new features in One UI 7, promising to provide relevant information at the right time. It also works with Always-on Display, displaying softly at the bottom. This is not the only way Samsung enhanced the Always-on Display with One UI 7. You may now control media playback via the Always On Display (AOD).
If you lock your Galaxy phone running One UI 7 while media is playing, the playback controls show at the bottom of the Now Bar. A single tap does nothing, but double tapping the playback controls will play, pause, or skip the current song or movie.
When you double-tap the album art, an expanded view of the media player appears, complete with larger controls and the ability to adjust media output.
Vertical app drawer
One UI 7 introduces a vertical app drawer to the One UI launcher. The option was included in One UI 5 and earlier releases, however it was deleted with Samsung’s Android 14-based One UI 5 update. The business promised to bring back the vertical app drawer with One UI 6.1.1, however this never happened.
If you have hundreds of apps installed on your Galaxy phone, a vertical app drawer will help you to easily swipe through them. In true Samsung form, there is an anomaly in how the feature was implemented.
Samsung does not specifically refer to it as a vertical app drawer. Instead, open the app drawer, hit the overflow menu button in the lower-left corner of the search bar, and choose Sort, then Alphabetical order. This converts the app drawer to a vertical style and organizes apps by name. You cannot move apps in this view, but you may position them within folders. Folders are located at the top, followed by applications and games.
A useful feature of the vertical app drawer is the addition of a fast-scroll bar on the right, which allows you to swiftly skim through and jump to any portion of your app list. The Home Up Good Lock module, which was updated with One UI 7, allows for more customisation of the home screen and app drawer.
Quick switch between the notification panel and Quick Settings
Samsung used an iOS-like approach with One UI 7, separating the notification panel and Quick Settings into two sections. You can return to the former One UI 6-like layout, but sample this adjustment for a few days before making a decision.
Compared to Apple’s distinct Quick Settings and notification panel design, Samsung’s method has one significant advantage. Swiping between the Quick Settings panel and the notification shade allows you to rapidly move between them. The same is true for phones from Xiaomi, Oppo, and OnePlus, all of which have long used separate Quick Settings and notification panels.
Although Samsung was not the first to market with the idea, it made care to include a helpful change in One UI 7.
Minimized pop-up apps group together
Samsung’s Android skin includes a variety of useful multitasking capabilities, including the option to run programs in a pop-up view. This allows you to run many programs simultaneously and minimize them into a floating shortcut. When you minimize numerous apps in pop-up mode, your Galaxy phone’s display may appear cluttered.
One UI 7 solves this problem by grouping the floating shortcuts of all minimized programs. Even better, there is a shortcut for launching all minimized apps at once. If you do not frequently utilize pop-up view multitasking on your Galaxy phone, you may disregard this as a minor modification. If you rely significantly on it, you will benefit from this modification.
New charging animation
Samsung’s work with One UI 7 is evident, from the smooth system animations to the general fluidity. The experience rivals iOS in polish and feels substantially better than other Android skins. You will not encounter sporadic lags or stutters. The new charging animation demonstrates Samsung’s attention to detail in One UI 7.
If you put in your Galaxy phone to charge when the display is turned off, a charging pill with a slick animation appears at the bottom, where the Now Bar resides. It does not appear in extreme brightness, but rather in a dimmed state. When you are in a dark room, the phone automatically adjusts the brightness to make it even darker. The charging information can be displayed even when the screen is turned off.
One UI 7 is really improved
Samsung’s Android skin offers a feature-rich experience, including useful multitasking options. Still, it felt like One UI lacked the polish and attention to detail that Pixel UI and iOS possessed.
With One UI 7, Samsung steps up, demonstrating that when it wants to, it can create a professional and well-rounded Android experience while correcting some of its long-standing faults. So it is sad that the focus on One UI 7 is primarily on its rollout delays, rather than the polish and enhancements it delivers.
Google has released rich media controls for the Pixel Watch, following the March 2025 Feature Drop teaser.
Last month, Google teased the upgrade as such:
“Make it easier to control audio content from the watch with control types based on content being played (such as Podcasts within YouTube music).”
“Manage your favorite audio content with new actions on Pixel Watch to fast forward and rewind, adjust playback speed or control playback queue.”
In the past, the Pixel Watch‘s system media controls only let you to change the volume, play/pause, and next/previous. This is on top of the tracking data for the music that is currently playing on your phone.
By tapping the new button on the left, you can now see your Up Next queue in addition to those actions. With YouTube Music, this displays the next 24 tracks, which can be tapped to begin playing right now.
In the meanwhile, you can repeat, thumbs up, and shuffle a track (in YTM) with the three-dot overflow button on the right. For Up Next, you also receive an additional tablet.
You may adjust the playback speed of podcasts (in YouTube Music), with each tap resulting in a larger increment. Additionally, you can go to the previous or next episode.
These updated media controls for the Pixel Watch are not supported by all apps. The extra features are grayed out in the screenshot below, which is from Pocket Casts (played on my phone).
The Pixel Watch 3 running Wear OS 5.1 is where we are experiencing this, and you should confirm that “Wear Media” in the on-watch Play Store is completely current (version 1.6.7.x).
Google Pixel Watch 3
The Google Pixel Watch 3 is designed for performance, with advanced fitness from Fitbit; the 41mm screen is twice as bright and 10% larger than before, making it easier to see your stats and info.
Despite a minor delay, the Pixel 9a is now available for purchase beginning today. I am still testing the phone myself, but so far, I am really impressed with what is clearly Google’s best A-series entry to date. Regardless of how you feel about the camera bar-less design or any of the missing functionality, the Pixel 9a has made me very enthused about Google’s latest value proposition. In fact, I believe it is the best Android phone to buy right now. Here’s why.
Google Pixel 9a with Gemini
Google Pixel 9a is engineered by Google with more than you expect, for less than you think; like Gemini, your built-in AI assistant, the incredible Pixel Camera, and an all-day battery and durable design
When I originally bought the Pixel 9a, I noticed myself resting my middle and forefinger on the bottom of the camera pill as a habit. I have since adjusted and do not touch the lens cover, which is reported to be slightly domed and inspired by “nature and water droplets,” similar to the Pixel Watch.
The new 48MP sensor is comparable to the one used in the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, but it is significantly smaller. It is a Pixel Camera, as detailed in our video review.
In our tests, we found that the Pixel 9a takes crisper photographs than the 8a from last year. This is most likely owing to an enhanced main camera sensor. While most people will not use both phones side by side or compare photographs in this manner, our gallery shows that the Pixel 8a has more contrast, whilst the 9a is pin sharp throughout the frame.
A lesser camera bump
Look, this is a minor request, but my request from late last year was completely successful. I had not realized how much I missed having a bump-free smartphone until I started using this one. While the elevated camera lip causes it to rattle somewhat on a table — strangely, it is perhaps the most a Tensor-powered Pixel has ever rocked on a table, excepting the Pixel 9 Pro Fold – it helps to make the phone seem so much more comfortable in everyday use.v
Look, this is a minor request, but my request from late last year was completely successful. I had not realized how much I missed having a bump-free smartphone until I started using this one. While the elevated camera lip causes it to rattle somewhat on a table — strangely, it is perhaps the most a Tensor-powered Pixel has ever rocked on a table, excepting the Pixel 9 Pro Fold – it helps to make the phone seem so much more comfortable in everyday use.
A great Google experience
This is the most loaded A-series Pixel we have seen thus far. It is strange to think that the Pixel 7a, a device that felt cheaper to handle than its price tag suggested, was released only two years ago. No one will mistake the Pixel 9a for a flagship smartphone, but the handset itself feels excellent in the hand. The matte polycarbonate back improves on the already superb build quality of the Pixel 8a, and the flat frame feels just as wonderful as it did on the original Pixel 9.
Google Pixel 9a with Gemini
Google Pixel 9a is engineered by Google with more than you expect, for less than you think; like Gemini, your built-in AI assistant, the incredible Pixel Camera, and an all-day battery and durable design
But, in my opinion, what truly counts is the display. While it is still protected by Gorilla Glass 3 — and yes, when you use as many different smartphones in a year as I do, you can really notice the difference in newer Corning glass applications — it is as good as the panel found on the ordinary Pixel 9. Hell, it may be the same panel used in the Pixel 9, as almost every specification, from size to brightness ratings, is similar. Regardless, it is one of the nicest screens I have seen on a $500 smartphone.
However, the rest of the phone is equally impressive. The speakers are solid, the haptics are good, and the buttons are satisfyingly clicky—all of this adds up to a surprisingly durable smartphone. Sure, it lacks some of the more modern features of Google’s flagships, like as the ultrasonic fingerprint sensor and the extra 4-8GB of RAM, but for $500, this is the most complete package we have ever seen from this firm.
A good design
Okay, I get it. I was not sold on the design from the time I saw it, whether in leaked renders or hands-on photographs from our staff. The choice to remove the camera bar in favor of a flat (or largely flat) back irritated many people in this sector, as many viewed the Pixel team abandoning an iconic design for no apparent reason. Combined with the wider bezels and flat frame, I was not sure how I would react when the Pixel 9a arrived in my hands.
The answer, of course, is “totally fine,” as I truly enjoy the design Google chose here. It seems funny to celebrate something as easy as slipping a phone into your pocket, but the lack of a camera bar makes a significant difference here — it never got snagged on the lip of a jeans pocket, for example, and felt considerably smaller in my pants as a result. In our hands-on images, the wider bezels appeared to be exacerbated by the flat frame, but once the device was turned on, I stopped noticing the bezels almost immediately.
Obviously, the look and feel of any phone will be determined by personal preference. But if, like me, you never quite clicked with the Pixel 9a no matter how many times it appeared in various leaks and renders, I would recommend that you check see the phone in person before dismissing it completely. And I would be negligent if I did not mention the colors – I love the Iris color on my unit, and the Peony looks excellent as well.
Missing ai features? not many that you will use
Due to its limited 8GB of RAM, the Pixel 9a lacks a number of AI-powered capabilities seen in the mainline Pixel 9 series. Apps like Pixel Screenshots are completely vanished, while Call Notes has been removed from the Phone app altogether. While Google’s 2024 flagships shipped with its on-device Gemini Nano XS LLM, the Pixel 9a has a modified “XXS” model that removes multimodal capabilities in favor of text-only inputs. The end result is a lower-quality experience, but I doubt most people will notice.
Pixel Screenshots is a nice app, and I hope Google continues to improve the experience on the Pixel 10 and future. But I would be lying if I said I would been using it or Call Notes on the ordinary Pixel 9 for the past eight months. Your mileage may vary, of course, but I do not believe the absence of these apps is very noticeable in day-to-day use. Most people will get their AI experience via apps like Gemini or ChatGPT, which work wonderfully on the Pixel 9a.
Overall a pretty great phone
Google Pixel 9a with Gemini
Google Pixel 9a is engineered by Google with more than you expect, for less than you think; like Gemini, your built-in AI assistant, the incredible Pixel Camera, and an all-day battery and durable design
It is easy to dismiss a $500 smartphone as wonderful, but in my opinion, this is something to rejoice. Google’s efforts with the Pixel 9a feel like the culmination of several years of work to elevate the A-series from “surprisingly good for the price” to simply excellent.
Obviously, there are reasons to choose the Pixel 9 over this device — and if the prices are close enough, going with the older, more powerful smartphone feels like the right move — but at its core, this is a fantastic smartphone that will only improve if and when (tariff madness pending) it sees deals throughout the rest of 2025. For me, that is sufficient.
Whether you are a runner, rock climber, or a frequent gym goer, a fitness tracker can help you stay motivated to maintain your good habits. For a limited time, you can save 25% on the Fitbit Charge 6 fitness smartwatch. Normally, the watch costs $160, but with the discount, you can get it for $120 on Amazon. This saves you $40.
Fitbit Charge 6 Fitness Tracker
Turn little habits into healthier routines with Fitbit Charge 6 and Google Pixel Buds Pro 2; get advanced health and fitness insights from Fitbit and power through your workouts with the most comfortable, secure earbuds
The Fitbit Charge 6 is your fitness companion and coach, whether you are running or working out at the gym. There are over 40 distinct activity modes to choose from, and the watch immediately starts tracking when it detects a workout. You can view your numbers while lifting weights at the gym, kayaking, or doing anything else. It even boasts built-in GPS for tracking mileage and running pace during outdoor workouts, eliminating the need to utilize your smartphone.
To determine the intensity of your workouts, monitor your heart rate at all times. It will notify you when you reach fat burn, cardio, or peak zones, allowing you to modify your effort to match your goals. Monitoring your heart rate might also help you stay healthy. The ECG app and sensor can help you detect indicators of irregular heart rhythm, which could be caused by atrial fibrillation (AFib). Other health variables it will look at include your blood oxygen levels, skin temperature, and more.
The Charge 6 has the ability to transmit metrics such as heart rate to your screen when using a compatible treadmill, elliptical, rower, or workout cycle. This way, you do not have to look down at your wrist and can concentrate on your form while doing exercise.
Have more restful sleep and feel reenergized when you wake up in the morning. The watch may be programmed to vibrate at the best sleep cycle, leaving you refreshed when you open your eyes. You will be assigned a sleep score and will be able to track your light, deep, and REM sleep, as well as your sleeping heart rate, to see how consistent your sleep is.
Fitbit Charge 6 Fitness Tracker
Turn little habits into healthier routines with Fitbit Charge 6 and Google Pixel Buds Pro 2; get advanced health and fitness insights from Fitbit and power through your workouts with the most comfortable, secure earbuds
You will also have access to a few stress management tools. The Fitbit Charge 6 may provide you with a detailed explanation of your stress management score based on heart rate and other characteristics, as well as guided breathing exercises to help you develop healthier coping strategies.
Google’s Pixel 9a will hit shop shelves in the United States this week. Google’s new midranger appears to be yet another reasonably priced flagship alternative in a long series of such options. To achieve a lower price point, it makes some changes to the Pixel 9 formula, such as less RAM and inferior cameras. However, on paper, the $500 Pixel 9a has several significant advantages over the $800 Pixel 9. Here’s five.
Google Pixel 9a with Gemini – 256GB
Google Pixel 9a is engineered by Google with more than you expect, for less than you think; like Gemini, your built-in AI assistant, the incredible Pixel Camera, and an all-day battery and durable design.
Speaking of bigger batteries, the Pixel 9a has the largest battery ever utilized in a Pixel phone, with a rated capacity of 5,100 mAh. That just slightly edges out the Pixel 9 Pro XL’s 5,060 mAh battery.
Given that the Pixel 9a is a relatively small phone with a 6.3-inch display, the large battery will deliver long battery life. The Google Store listing for the 9a boasts “30+ hour battery life,” whereas the Pixel 9’s battery life is “24+ hours.” If Google’s estimations are correct, the 9a’s battery will last 25% longer.
A good price
Let us start with the obvious: the $500 Pixel 9a costs significantly less than the $800 Pixel 9. Google has managed to keep its A-series phones at $500 for three years in a row as its flagships have become more costly, making the 9a an even better value than previous generations.
A solid construction
The basic Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro feature normal flagship phone build, with scratch-resistant glass back panels and stainless steel side rails. It creates a high-end look and feel, but the usage of glass has a significant drawback: it is prone to cracking if your phone is dropped.
The Pixel 9a, on the other hand, has a polycarbonate back panel with aluminum side rails. That makes the phone more resistant to shattering than its more expensive counterparts. Plastic and aluminum are also less dense than glass and stainless steel, so the Pixel 9a is slightly lighter than the Pixel 9 — though only by a fraction of an ounce.
Pixel 9A has no camera bump
The Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro feature some of the best cameras available in a smartphone today, but this image brilliance is accompanied by positively massive camera bumps. Based on Pixel 10 leaks, the pill-shaped protrusions appear to have become part of the Pixel’s brand identity. However, there is no getting around the bulk: the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro cameras protrude 3.5 mm from the back panel.
The Pixel 9a, on the other hand, has almost no camera hump at all, with a pill-shaped glass cutout for the primary and ultrawide cameras that is nearly flat with the rest of the rear panel. Again, this will make little difference to those that use cases. However, given that a strong contingent of smartphone customers has been calling for thicker phones with larger batteries and fewer camera bumps for some time, the 9a is a clear winner.
Matte finish
There is no objectively proper finish for a smartphone, and most smartphone users will put a case on whatever they buy regardless. But personally, I prefer the all-matte appearance. Glossy surfaces are more likely to gather up fingerprints than matte surfaces, and nicks and scratches are more visible on shiny surfaces.
The standard Pixel 9 has a glossy glass back and matte side rails; the Pixel 9 Pro reverses this, with matte glass on the back and matte steel side rails. The Pixel 9a has a matte finish all around. Glossy metal accents may seem elegant, but I hope future Pixel generations follow Google’s A-series phone’s lead and adopt the same all-matte appearance.
However, based on our early hands-on observations, Google’s experience with midrange products, and the information Google has released about the 9a thus far, it appears to be a solid device—and in some respects, even better than the more expensive Pixel 9.
Google is now implementing Loss of Pulse Detection in the US after yesterday’s April 2025 OTA update and Scam Detection.
Google is officially launching Loss of Pulse Detection in the US after receiving FDA approval, which was initially anticipated at the end of March. Last year, it became available throughout Europe.
Make sure your Pixel Watch 3’s Personal Safety Wear OS software is up to date before turning it on. 2025.03.19.x is the most recent version that is available on the Play Store.
Afterwards, go to the Pixel Watch companion app on your phone (version 3.4+) > Safety & emergency > Loss of Pulse Detection to start the set-up process.
Google tells us that it’s beginning to roll out today and will be fully available over the coming weeks.
Google Pixel Watch 3 (45mm)
The Google Pixel Watch 3 is designed for performance, with advanced fitness from Fitbit; the 41mm screen is twice as bright and 10% larger than before, making it easier to see your stats and info[
A loss-of-pulse event is when your heart stops beating, which can happen during a cardiac arrest, respiratory or circulatory failure, overdose, or poisoning. Similar to Fall and Car Crash Detection, the Pixel Watch 3 will ask users to certify their safety when it detects something.
In the event that there is no reaction (or movement), the wearable will notify emergency personnel, give your location, and provide information about what is going on. The Pixel Watch 3‘s multipath heart rate monitor, additional sensors, and a “multi-check, AI-based algorithm” are all used by Loss of Pulse Detection.
According to the official statement, “Loss of Pulse Detection may not detect every instance of a loss of pulse and is not intended for users who require cardiac monitoring or who have pre-existing heart conditions.” It does not offer follow-up care or diagnose or treat any medical conditions.
Google Pixel Watch 3 (45mm)
The Google Pixel Watch 3 is designed for performance, with advanced fitness from Fitbit; the 41mm screen is twice as bright and 10% larger than before, making it easier to see your stats and info[
This month delivers bad news to the owners of various vintage Galaxy cellphones. The Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+, and Galaxy S20 Ultra, Samsung’s first game-changing flagships, will no longer receive software updates going forward.
The Galaxy A52 5G and Galaxy A72, two additional game-changing Galaxy smartphones, will also no longer receive software updates. These were among the first mid-range devices to provide flagship-level features such as high refresh rate displays, dual speakers, 5G connectivity, and faster charging at a lower cost.
Samsung has discontinued support for the Galaxy A52 5G Enterprise Edition. The normal edition, as well as the Galaxy A52 and Galaxy A52s, stopped receiving updates quite some time ago. The Galaxy A52 and A52s enterprise variants will still receive upgrades.
In addition to the Galaxy S20, S20+, S20 Ultra, A52 5G, and A72, Samsung will no longer provide updates for the Galaxy A32. Support for the S20 series will terminate after five years, and for mid-range devices after four years.
Samsung may provide an update that was already in the works for these devices before support ended, but if you possess one of them, you should upgrade if you want to continue receiving software updates.
Upgrade now
SAMSUNG Galaxy S25 Ultra
Streamline your day with an assistant that gets you. Ask it to Google search for a pet-friendly vegan restaurant nearby and text it to your friend— your Galaxy S25 Ultra handles multiple tasks with a single ask.
Samsung’s One UI 7 is now my favorite Android skin. It is quick, responsive, and simple. However, nothing is pre-programmed for your specific experience. You should personalize your smartphone to make it more appealing. I modify about a dozen settings on each Samsung Galaxy phone to better fit my needs, and I believe these will improve your user experience as well.
Here are some OneUI settings that I recommend adjusting to improve your Galaxy phone experience, ranging from selecting the highest attainable screen resolution to adding extra privacy-focused features. Please be aware that some settings may be phone-specific.
Switch to gesture navigation
Unless you are setting up your new Samsung Galaxy phone from an older model, it will use the outdated three-button navigation mechanism. If you enjoy it, that is OK. However, I find Android’s gesture navigation more intuitive—everything is a swipe away rather than an on-screen button.
If you want that, you can change the system navigation to gestures by going to Settings > Display > Navigation bar > Swipe gestures.
Set screen resolution to high – QHD+
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra boasts the finest smartphone display available right now. It is less reflective and has better color display than its predecessor, thanks to second-generation Gorilla Armour. You have a great QHD+ screen, but it is not set to that resolution by default.
To have the best possible viewing experience, navigate to Settings > viewing > Screen resolution. The Ultra will consume more battery, but it is an efficient smartphone. Even after maxing out the screen resolution, I still have an all-day battery life.
Adjust the lock screen notifications.
One UI 7 has modified the way notifications appear on your lock screen. It is set to display icons in the top left corner by default, which is a significant departure from the prior card view. I prefer that apps display notifications in the latter way. To modify this, navigate to Settings > Notifications > Lock screen notifications > Cards.
I also hide important notification content on the lock screen since I do not want anyone walking up to my phone and reading my personal communications. To modify this setting, select Hide content from the same Lock screen notifications menu.
Uninstall the bloatware
Samsung Galaxy phones provide numerous apps that you may not utilize. Unlike prior years, you may now remove or disable them to conserve memory. For example, I do not own a Samsung TV and do not want the Microsoft CoPilot app on my phone, so I uninstall both TV and CoPilot. Other programs that I disable or uninstall include Facebook, Samsung Tutor, and OneDrive.
Always-on display
Samsung phones have efficient screens; make the most of them by enabling everything, including the Always On display. I enjoy having the time, day, and date information there on the screen, accessible at a look. Samsung defaults to the Tap to see setting, which requires you to tap on the screen to access information.
I recommend altering that to Always to make it more useful. Navigate to Settings > Lock Screen and AOD > Always-On Display > Always. You may select whether or not to display the wallpaper; I have set it to only display a black screen to save battery life.
Homescreen customization
Samsung’s phone widgets are among the best available. I enjoy the Calendar widget since I can change the transparency. As a consequence, it looks nicer and retains functionality while preserving the structure of my home screen. I set it at the top so that everything is just a glance away, but it never asks for attention, unlike other opaque Calendar widgets.
Also, change the icon grid to a 5×5 layout to permit more icons in the bottom row. They are only a thumb tap away. In addition, I apply my wallpaper color tones to the program icons for a more appealing appearance. To apply wallpaper colors to the entire system, navigate to Wallpaper and Style > Color Palette and turn it on. It is not flawless, and some icons may still be unsupported. However, it appears better than the standard colors.
SAMSUNG Galaxy S25 Ultra
Streamline your day with an assistant that gets you. Ask it to Google search for a pet-friendly vegan restaurant nearby and text it to your friend— your Galaxy S25 Ultra handles multiple tasks with a single ask.
Other things I do on my Galaxy phones include switching to Google Keyboard and organizing the home drawer icons alphabetically for easier navigation. Samsung phones are among the best on the market. While they do not promise groundbreaking features, they are dependable and provide the most refined user interface with One UI. Simply modify these few options, and you will be all set.
