"Enhanced Privacy Protection" Samsung Launches 'One UI 4 Beta Program' for Galaxy S21

[Asia Economy Reporter Eunmo Koo] Samsung Electronics is enhancing smartphone privacy and personal information protection features through improvements to the user interface (UI). Applications (apps) now require user permission when accessing sensitive data or functions such as location information, and usage history can be easily checked.

On the 14th, Samsung Electronics announced the launch of the ‘One UI 4 Beta Program’ for Galaxy S21 series users. From this day, users can register via the Samsung Members app to experience the One UI 4 design and features, and Samsung plans to officially release One UI 4 by the end of this year after incorporating user feedback and making detailed refinements.

One UI 4 is a user interface exclusively for Galaxy smartphones based on Google Android 12. According to Samsung Electronics, One UI 4 provides enhanced privacy and personal information protection features to help users understand how their information is used for personalized settings. Each app on the smartphone must obtain user permission when accessing sensitive data or functions such as the camera and location information.

Users can view these permissions in use through graphical representations. A timeline is provided that shows at a glance which app used what permission and when, allowing users to easily check the app’s permission usage history and block unwanted permissions to protect their personal information.

Additionally, One UI 4 offers various theme features that allow users to customize the home screen, icons, notifications, and wallpapers to their preferred style. Furthermore, upgraded widgets can be customized in terms of shape and displayed information to suit individual styles, and users can enjoy an improved communication experience with access to a wider variety of emojis.

Not Tae-moon, President of Samsung Electronics’ Wireless Business Division, said, “Galaxy users will be able to set up a mobile experience optimized for themselves using One UI 4,” adding, “To provide a reliable and improved user experience, we listened carefully to user opinions and actively applied them.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.