Samsung has a knack for choosing confusing names for its smartphones, which has also caused a flood of software. Recently, many people are confused between Samsung One UI and One UI Core. The frustrating thing is that the two iterations of a UI are different.
In this article, we compare the two to illustrate the difference between One UI Core and One UI. We will introduce the difference between a UI and a UI Core and the supported devices. Finally, we will let you pay attention to whether buying a One UI Core phone is a good idea.
Let’s get started.
WHAT IS SAMSUNG ONE UI CORE:
A UI is a custom Android skin installed on a Samsung Galaxy smartphone. It has two variants-a conventional UI and a UI Core.
First of all, One UI Core is not a beta version of One UI. It is a streamlined and stable version of the main One UI, suitable for low- and medium-budget Samsung Galaxy phones. This means that it has fewer features than One UI that usually runs on other UI phones.
WHICH SAMSUNG PHONES HAVE ONE UI CORE:
As mentioned above, Samsung uses the One UI Core version for its entry-level and mid-range phones. Therefore, it includes Galaxy M series phones and some entry-level Galaxy A series phones.
Some phones running a UI Core are Samsung Galaxy A11, A21s, A10s, M10, M11, and M51. You can view the complete list on Samsung’s official website.
WHAT FEATURES ARE MISSING IN ONE UI CORE:
A UI Core is a streamlined version, which does not mean that Samsung has deleted the main function. To be honest, you won’t even notice this difference. Contrary to popular belief, Samsung retains features such as dark mode, gestures, focus mode, digital status, ability to hide applications, one-handed mode, etc. in One UI Core. Most importantly, the overall user interface and experience are almost the same.
Recently, Samsung announced that most Galaxy smartphones released after 2019 will receive 4 years of security updates. Both M and A series are included in the list.
Good Lock App:
Good Lock is an add-on application for Samsung that allows you to customize functions using various modules and add functions to your Galaxy phone. You can customize the appearance of the navigation bar, the clock on the lock screen, filter notifications, etc. Unfortunately, this application and its modules cannot run on One UI Core.
Bixby:
Samsung’s digital voice assistant Bixby is also missing in One UI Core. Although you cannot use Bixby routines, Bixby Vision is available on some devices that support One UI Core.
Easy Mode:
Easy mode gives a simpler home screen view and larger items. It is very useful for people with poor eyesight and the elderly. Earlier, all Samsung Galaxy smartphones provided Easy mode. If you want to use it, you should buy a regular phone running One UI instead of a phone with One UI Core.
Samsung Pay/Pay Mini:
Choose a UI Core phone that does not support Samsung Pay / Pay Mini. Other mobile phones that support Samsung Pay or Pay Mini are limited to certain regions.
Knox and Secure Folder:
Some phones running One UI Core lack all the security features provided by Samsung Knox, especially hardware-based features. You won’t notice anything on the front end, but devices without full Knox security are not ideal for enterprise deployments.
Similarly, the popular Secure folder is missing from cheap One UI Core devices. However, it is available on mid-range phones.
Link to Windows:
Microsoft’s Your Phone app can help you connect your Android phone to a Windows 10 PC. Using this application, you can view your phone’s messages, notifications, and photos on your PC. You can even make and receive calls on your PC.
These features are applicable to all Android phones, even phones running One UI Core. However, if you have a UI device, you can open and run Android apps on your PC. This is a feature that you cannot use in One UI Core phones
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HOW TO CHECK ONE UI VARIANT:
To know the One UI variant and version present on your phone, follow these steps:
Step 1: Open Settings on your Samsung Galaxy phone.
Step 2: Go to About phone. Tap on Software information.
Step 3: At the top, you will either have One UI version or One UI Core version. If it’s the latter, that means your phone has One UI Core. The version number appears below the One UI title.
Future of ONE UI: In the previous version of One UI 2, there were major differences between One UI and One UI Core. But the latest version adds most features to One UI Core. In the future, Samsung may also add those missing features to One UI Core. What are your favorite One UI features? Share them in the comments below.
