While the Galaxy S25 boasts the best overall experience with One UI 7, it does fall short in certain areas compared to the Galaxy S24. Particularly, the integration of the media player functionality highlights a key difference between these two flagship devices.
The Galaxy S24, running the One UI 7 beta firmware, offers a more seamless experience with its innovative media player integration. One of the standout features is the Now Bar, which can be minimized into a compact, pill-shaped button located in the status bar. This allows users to easily access the media player widget with just a tap, enhancing convenience and usability.
In contrast, the Galaxy S25 users experience the media playback feature on the Always-On Display (AOD) and the lock screen, similar to the Galaxy S24. However, they lack the functionality of the interactive pill-shaped button in the status bar, making the media control experience less efficient.
Another notable difference lies in the accessibility of the media player widget. For those with the Galaxy S24 on the One UI 7 beta, the media player widget can be conveniently accessed directly from the notification panel. Unfortunately, this feature is absent in the Galaxy S25 running One UI 7, which may affect user experience for those who rely heavily on media playback.
Fortunately, there is good news for Galaxy S25 users. Upcoming firmware updates are expected to bring the quality-of-life improvements from the One UI 7 beta to the flagship device. According to reliable sources such as @UniverseIce, these enhancements related to the Now Bar and media player widget will be included, ensuring that the Galaxy S25 remains competitive with the Galaxy S24.
As for the timeline, the Galaxy S24 series is anticipated to receive the stable One UI 7 update in early April. It is reasonable to expect that the Galaxy S25 series will also see its next firmware update around the same period, aligning the two devices more closely in terms of functionality.
Additionally, it's important to note that other Galaxy smartphones shipping with One UI 7 out of the box, such as the Galaxy A 2025 series, share similar shortcomings regarding the Now Bar feature as seen in the Galaxy S25. However, these issues are likely to be addressed in subsequent firmware updates, ensuring that users across different models can enjoy the latest enhancements.
In summary, while the Galaxy S25 offers an impressive experience with One UI 7, the Galaxy S24 currently holds a slight edge in media player integration. With forthcoming updates, the gap may close, allowing both devices to deliver an exceptional user experience.
