Samsung has announced the new One UI 5.0 update, which will bring a number of upgraded features to devices – everything from new colour palettes to improved fall alerts.
With it, Samsung will also launch expanded developer tools that “support more accurate health monitoring, preventative safety in driving, medical research, and deeper wellness insights.”
The company made these announcement at the its Samsung Developer Conference 2022, which started today in San Francisco.
One UI 5.0 has been in various beta stages over the past few months, and will now launch to a wider audience later this month.
It will have improved security features, an expanded colour palette feature, in keeping with Samsung’s recent push towards total customisation, stacked widgets, improved animations, and various other bells and whistles.
Samsung said it “has empowered users to easily customise their device’s look and feel, while enhancing productivity and providing amazing experiences across devices and platforms.”
One UI 5 will feature custom-built Modes and Routines, a Dynamic Lock screen that displays multiple visuals on your phone, your Galaxy Watch and other One UI 5 devices.
The new Bixby Text Call feature will allow Bixby Voice will answer calls on your behalf, and even type messages with the caller, “speaking aloud as if you had answered”, which is a rather creepy concept.
There will also be “new daily health solutions to help track health and wellness in one place”, which is where the Samsung Privileged Health SDK program will come into play.
This developer tool kit enables third-party partners to build apps that leverage the BioActive Sensor on the Galaxy Watch, “harnessing the powerful sensors and algorithms for more accurate and advanced health offerings.”
The Samsung Privileged Health SDK program and Fall Detection API are part of a wider health push by Samsung which sees the company opening up its ecosystem further to third-party developers, who will be able to build upon the health and wellness possibilities of Samsung’s hardware.
A number of partnerships are already in play, such as one with Swedish company Tobii, who are the global leader in eye-tracking technology, and Harman, who developed a Ready Care automotive solution.
Heart rate data from the Galaxy Watch can be used with Tobii’s eye-tracking technology to monitor drowsiness.
Ready Care can use data to detect distraction, fatigue, and use vital sign sensing, and even gives drivers alternative route suggestions to lower their stress levels.
“Samsung’s health foundation is rooted in our advanced hardware and sensor technology and is bolstered by our open ecosystem and collaborative approach,” said TaeJong Jay Yang, Executive Vice President and the Head of Health R&D Team at Mobile eXperience Business, Samsung Electronics.
“That is why I am excited to announce expanded developer tools, APIs and partner offerings that allow third-party experts, research centers and universities to advance wearable tracking and insight capabilities for a wider health, wellness and safety.”
One UI 5.0 will be released sometime this month, with the update likely to hit Samsung’s S22 range first.
