Comparison
One UI 5.0 vs iOS 16 – Can Apple compete with Samsung’s customizable Always on Display?
Always On Display, also known as AOD, is on of the most useful and famed features of Samsung smartphones for ages. Whereas, Apple has introduced its AOD feature just a few months ago. And, in this article, I am going to compare Samsung One UI 5.0 Always On Display feature with Apple iOS 16 Always On Display.
Aren’t you excited to see if the most awaited iPhone AOD can compete with Samsung’s customizable Always on Display or not? Let’s check it out in this comparison story.
One UI 5.0 Always on Display
Samsung has been offering the Always On Display feature for years and over time, the company has significantly improved it. Obviously, this feature shows time, date, notifications, missed calls, battery level, and other essential information without unlocking your phone but there are much more.
At the same time, One UI offers users a variety of clocks styles and AOD designs, you can choose colors and wallpapers or can even select a picture from the gallery to put on your Always On Display screen.
Besides the basics, it also presents many widgets on the AOD screen by double-tapping the clock area, and can easily play music off-screen, or check schedules and alarms. Not only this, but you can also pin text and images that you want to remember every time.
In addition to all this, Samsung also offers its Galaxy devices to apply AOD in the landscape. You can select whether you want to see AOD while tapping or always. If that’s not enough, you can even schedule AOD on Samsung. And, if you want your AOD to show new notifications or the fingerprint icon, you can enable these options as well.
iOS 16 Always on Display
To be honest, I was pretty excited to see the Always On Display making its way to Apple iPhones. The US company has introduced a completely different AOD from the ‘traditional’ feature that we see on Samsung or other Android phones. It has an abundance of elements on the screen at all times.
The initial implementation on iOS 16 just dimmed out the display. It did not turn any pixels off, nor did it blacken out the background, which means you’ll still see parts of your wallpaper on the screen. But things have been changed with iOS 16.2 as it offers you the ability to disable the wallpaper portion, which will make the background black just like a usual AOD.
Other than this, the Always-On display on iPhones shows helpful information, including the time, widgets, and wallpaper, all while using new technologies that make the display incredibly power efficient. On the other hand, you can also disable Notification from the AOD.
It is worth mentioning that Apple AOD is not actually part of iOS 16 software, it is introduced with iPhone 14 series, and maybe it will expand to older devices in the future.
One UI 5.0 vs iOS 16 – Always on Display
Apple’s implementation of the Always on Display feature is admittedly creative, but it’s a classic example of choosing form over function, meaning it’s pretty but not particularly useful.
Samsung’s approach to AOD, on the other hand, makes so much more sense. After all, the main motive of Always on Display is to provide essential information at a glance.
If you are thinking that Apple has introduced AOD for the first time so the company will take some time to make it perfect. You may be right but let me tell you that even years ago Samsung’s AOD was better than the current Apple AOD.
So, Apple iOS 16 Always On Display cannot compete with Samsung One UI 5.0 Always On Display in any way, at least now.
Samsung significantly improved the animation system in the One UI 7 Beta. The first Beta is worth installing as no major flaw was reported in three days. Meanwhile, the animation fluency will elevate further with the next Beta updates.
In a recent development, Samsung insider IceUniverse compared the app opening and closing animation in the recently released One UI 7 Open Beta 1 (XKZ) and an internal testing version (XKN). Here’s how they stack up:
One UI 7 Beta 1 (XKZ)
- Animation feels stiff and lifeless.
- Icons turn into a right angle before spreading into the page.
- Lacks smoothness and fails to align with natural physical motion.
Internal Testing Version (XKN)
- Features an elegant unfolding animation with smoother transitions.
- Includes a noticeable deceleration effect, adding a “floating” quality.
- Closely resembles the refined animations seen in iOS.
The leaker expressed disappointment with Samsung’s choice of the XKZ animation for the beta release. The comparison also shows that the internal build has better animation fluency than the first Beta distributed to general users.
You can watch the video below:
It seems Samsung has reserved some aspects from the internal beta for the next builds. The program won’t end anytime soon as Beta participants could get around four major updates throughout the testing period before the 1Q25 release.
Which animation style do you think better suits One UI 7? Share your thoughts via social media!
One UI 7 Release Date
Samsung announced the stable rollout will be conducted in the first quarter of 2025. The Galaxy S25 series is rumored to be unveiled in late January. As the public version launches at Unpacked, the rollout could start in February next year.
Galaxy S21 series and later flagships will receive the major Android 15 upgrade. Samsung’s One UI 7 device list is pretty large, hence, the rollout completion could take around two months. Access the latest insights on One UI 7 below:
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra outperforms Huawei Mate 70 Pro Plus despite being a year-old flagship now. The Chinese phone maker yesterday launched its new flagship phones, with Mate 70 Pro+ landed as its best model yet.
Huawei has been facing US restrictions for around five years. The company is inaccessible to key technologies such as Android and cutting-edge SoC. However, it continues to solidify its presence in the Chinese market with in-house components.
Samsung is preparing to introduce the Galaxy S25 Ultra with even bigger surprises early next year. While Huawei eyes dominance in mainland China, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is the best Android flagship out there (globally).
Let’s delve into a detailed comparison to determine which one reigns supreme.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Huawei Mate 70 Pro Plus
| Specifications | Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra | Huawei Mate 70 Pro+ |
Design | Frame - Titanium Front and Rear - Gorilla Armor and Gorilla Glass Victus 2 IP Rating - IP68 | Frame - Titanium Alloy Front - Glass IP Rating - IP68/IP69 |
Dimensions | Height - 162.3mm Width - 79.0mm Depth - 8.6mm Weight - 232g | Height - 164.6mm Width - 79.5mm Depth - 8.3mm Weight - 226g |
Software | Android - 14 One UI - One UI 6.1 Future upgrades - 7 generations of OS upgrades and security updates | HarmonyOS 4.3 Future upgrades - Up to 4 years of HarmonyOS upgrades and security updates |
Display | Size - 172.5mm (6.8" full rectangle) / 172.2mm (6.8" rounded corners) PPI - 505 PPI Resolution - 3120 x 1440 (Quad HD+) Panel - Dynamic AMOLED 2X Refresh rate - 1-120 Hz | Size - 6.9" LTPO OLED PPI - 453 PPI Resolution - 1316 x 2832 (FHD+) Panel - LTPO OLED Refresh rate - 1-120 Hz |
Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy (4nm) Cortex CPU Qualcomm Hexagon NPU Snapdragon X75 Modem-RF System Adreno 750 GPU | Huawei Kirin 9020 12-core CPU Maleoon 920 GPU |
Memory | 12GB RAM 256GB, 512GB, 1TB storage | 16GB RAM 512GB, 1TB |
Rear Camera | Wide - 200 MP OIS F1.8, Adaptive Pixel, Optical Quality 2x Periscope - 50 MP 5x Optical and 10x Optical Quality Ultra Wide - 12 MP F2.2 Telephoto - 10 MP OIS F2.4, 3x Optical Zoom Flash - Yes Video - 8K at 30fps, 4k at 30/60fps Auto Focus, Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), | Wide - 50 MP, f/1.4-f/4.0, 24mm, PDAF, OIS Ultra Wide - 40 MP, f/2.2, 13mm, 120˚, PDAF Telephoto - 48 MP, f/2.1, 93mm, PDAF, OIS, 3.5x optical zoom Flash - Yes Video - 4K, 1080p, HDR, gyro-EIS, OIS |
Front Camera | 12MP Front Camera (F2.2, FOV 80-degree) | 13MP Front Camera (F2.4, 18mm) |
Network | 2G GSM - GSM850, GSM900, DCS1800, PCS1900 3G - B1(2100), B2(1900), B4(AWS), B5(850), B8(900) 4G FDD LTE - B1(2100), B2(1900), B3(1800), B4(AWS), B5(850), B7(2600), B8(900), B12(700), B13(700), B17(700), B18(800), B19(800), B20(800), B25(1900), B26(850), B28(700), B66(AWS-3) 4G TDD LTE - B38(2600), B39(1900), B40(2300), B41(2500) SIM Slot Type - SIM 1 + eSIM / Dual eSIM 5G FDD Sub6 - N1(2100), N2(1900), N3(1800), N5(850), N7(2600), N8(900), N12(700), N20(800), N25(1900), N26(850), N28(700), N66(AWS-3) 5G TDD Sub6 - N38(2600), N40(2300), N41(2500), N77(3700), N78(3500) 5G TDD mmWave - N41(2500), N78(3500) | 2G GSM - GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2, CDMA 800 3G - HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100, CDMA2000 1x 4G - LTE SIM Slot Type - Nano Dual SIM 5G - SA/NSA |
Connectivity | Wi-Fi - Wi-Fi 7 USB - 3.2 Bluetooth - v5.3 Location Technology - GPS, Glonass, Beidou, Galileo, QZSS Wi-Fi Direct - Yes NFC - Yes PC Sync - Smart Switch USB Interface - Type-C | Wi-Fi - Wi-Fi 7 USB - 3.1 Bluetooth - 5.2 Location Technology - GPS, Glonass, BDS, Galileo Wi-Fi Direct - Yes NFC - Yes USB Interface - Type-C 3.1 |
Battery | 5000mAh (supports 45W charging) | 5700mAh (supports 100W wired, 80W wireless, 20W reserve wireless and 18W reverse wiredcharging) |
Audio | Supported Formats - MP3, M4A, 3GA, AAC, OGG, OGA, WAV, AMR, AWB, FLAC, MID, MIDI, XMF, MXMF, IMY, RTTTL, RTX, OTA, DFF, DSF, APE | Supported Formats - MP3, M4A, 3GA, AAC, OGG, OGA, WAV, AMR, AWB, FLAC, MID, MIDI, XMF, MXMF, IMY, RTTTL, RTX, OTA, DFF, DSF, APE |
Video | Supported Formats - MP4, M4V, 3GP, 3G2, AVI, FLV, MKV, WEBM Video Playback Resolution - up to UHD 8K at 60fps | Supported Formats - MP4, M4V, 3GP, 3G2, AVI, FLV, MKV, WEBM Video Playback Resolution - up to UHD 8K at 60fps |
Colors | Titanium Gray, Titanium Black, Titanium Violet and Titanium Yellow | Black, Gray, White, Green |
Key Takeaways
Both Samsung and Huawei flagships boast premium designs with sleek, modern aesthetics. The Galaxy S24 Ultra features a famous Samsung signature design, while Mate 70 Pro Plus comes with a circular camera module at the center.
The S24 Ultra and Mate 70 Pro+ both sport stunning visual experiences.
- The S24 Ultra’s Dynamic AMOLED 2X display delivers vibrant colors, deep blacks, and a smooth 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate.
- The Mate 70 Pro+’s LTPO OLED display also offers impressive visuals and a 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate.
Both devices are equipped with powerful camera systems, details as follows:
- The S24 Ultra boasts a 200MP main sensor, a 50MP periscope telephoto lens, a 12MP ultrawide lens, and a 10MP telephoto lens.
- The Mate 70 Pro+ features a 50MP main sensor with a variable aperture, a 40MP ultrawide lens, and a 48MP periscope telephoto lens.
When it comes to performance:
- Samsung’s S24 Ultra is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy chip, paired with 12GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage.
- The Mate 70 Pro+ relies on Huawei’s Kirin 9020 chipset, coupled with 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage.
Battery and Charging – One of the most necessary aspects:
- The Galaxy S24 Ultra is packed with 5000mAh battery with 45W wired charging
- Huawei’s Mate 70 Pro+ features a comparatively larger 5700mAh battery with 100W wired charging.
On the software front:
- The S24 Ultra runs on Android 14 with One UI 6.1.
- The Mate 70 Pro+ utilizes Huawei’s HarmonyOS 4.3.
The verdict
Battery capacity and faster charging don’t make Mate 70 Pro+ better than the S24 Ultra. The reason is, that Samsung’s flagship would surpass Huawei’s in practical usage given software optimization, and efficiency by the chipset.
Flagships from Samsung and Huawei offer top-tier performance, stunning displays, and impressive cameras. However, there are many downfalls in picking Huawei due to the lack of an Android operating system and cutting-edge chipsets.
Undoubtedly, the winner is Samsung’s Galaxy S24 Ultra.
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 6 buyers could regret knowing the Z Fold SE (Special Edition) camera specs. Amid intense competition, Samsung has made a pretty solid entry in the foldable landscape with the launch of Special Edition.
The Galaxy Z Fold SE is not only slim but packs a 200-megapixel main camera. It’s a significant upgrade over the Galaxy Z Fold 6’s outdated 50-megapixel sensor. The upgraded camera on Samsung foldables is a long-due demand of consumers.
The Z Fold Special Edition has become the third Samsung phone to pack a 200MP camera. The company first debuted its monstrous 200-megapixel sensor with the Galaxy S23 Ultra, while used in the Galaxy S24 Ultra as well.
The sensor offers 2x optical quality zoom apart from higher resolution benefits. The Korean tech giant highlights that the Galaxy Z Fold SE’s 200-megapixel wide-angle lens “supports more vivid and clear photos and videos.”
The 12-megapixel ultrawide, 10-megapixel 3x telephoto and 10-megapixel cover selfie camera remain the same in both folds. The 4MP under-display camera is ditched from the Z Fold SE, probably, as part of improving the crease control.
Thanks to the cover screen, the Galaxy Z Fold SE’s 200MP camera could be used to take selfies. The inner screen camera is not much used by users. Still, the 4MP resolution without UDC tech would deliver better results than the Z Fold 6.
Earlier, we’ve covered Samsung should’ve teased the Special Edition model during the launch of the Galaxy Z Fold 6. Despite limited availability, the Z Fold 6 buyers would regret their decision to own the foldable released in late July.
| Feature | Galaxy Z Fold SE | Galaxy Z Fold 6 |
|---|---|---|
| Main Camera | 200-megapixel | 50-megapixel |
| Ultra-Wide Camera | 12-megapixel | 12-megapixel |
| Telephoto Camera | 10-megapixel | 3x Optical | 10-megapixel | 3x Optical |
| Front Camera (Cover Screen) | 10-megapixel | 10-megapixel |
| Front Camera (Inner Display) | 4-megapixel | punch-hole | 4-megapixel | UDC |
// Difference is bolded.