Samsung brings One UI and Bixby to household appliances
Samsung wants to standardize the user interface in its ecosystem and is now also bringing the One UI user interface to household appliances.
One UI will be the user interface for Samsung's entire ecosystem.
(Image: Samsung)
One UI is familiar to users of Samsung smartphones, wearables and televisions. Now the manufacturer wants to bring this to its range of household appliances. According to Samsung, the aim is to offer a "consistent and intuitive software experience" across the entire range of devices. The first devices to receive the update will be those launched in September 2024.
Bixby for the fridge
"By introducing One UI to smart home appliances, we are changing the way people interact with technology at home," Jeong Seung Moon said, EVP and head of the R&D team of the Digital Appliances (DA) division at Samsung Electronics. With the One UI update, apps and services such as the voice assistant Bixby, the Gallery app and Samsung TV Plus, which are available on various screen types, are to find their way into household appliances such as refrigerators. The aim is to "enable seamless device interaction and media usage". In addition, connectivity between devices is to be improved by Samsung's smart home platform SmartThings.
The user interface will also give users access to the Now Brief assistance function introduced with the Galaxy S25, which is designed to provide relevant information at a glance. However, Now Brief has not yet been convincing in the Galaxy S25 test. On household appliances, the feature is supposed to "show family members a curated selection of useful content, including daily weather forecasts, family plans, customized recipes and household information" – such as when the washing machine is ready –. Samsung still has a little time to make improvements before the release of Now Brief for the refrigerator or other devices – the function will not be available until 2026.
For devices from the 2024 model series onwards
From this September, Samsung initially wants to give compatible 2024 models the software update to One UI. Among other things, this will bring improved security functions with Knox Matrix to Wi-Fi enabled refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners and induction stoves. It will also monitor the status of all connected devices, according to Samsung. In addition, models with a display will receive encrypted login data and passkey support.
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According to Samsung, refrigerators with Family Hub and 9-inch screens released this year will receive an improved "AI Vision Inside" function, which will recognize a larger number of fresh products as well as frequently used packaged foods. Bixby will also support voice recognition on shared devices.
Samsung promises a seven-year update guarantee for its household appliances. The manufacturer also guarantees this period for its top smartphones such as the Galaxy S25 series and its foldables. However, it is short for household appliances, as many people only replace their washing machine or refrigerator after a decade or more.
Speaking of One UI, Samsung will begin rolling out the update to One UI 8, which is based on Android 16, over the course of September. The Galaxy S25 series will be the first to receive the new OS version. Samsung introduced both the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and the Galaxy Z Flip 7 with the new One UI version at the beginning of July.
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