Android Pie is going to make Samsung phones feel a lot faster
With Android Pie, Samsung will turn a much-loved but little-known feature that can make your phone feel much faster into an official feature.
The South Korean behemoth launched the Android Pie beta program for the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus last week, and users have just discovered a handy new option in the Settings menu (Galaxy Club via SamMobile).
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It appears that the company has made Reduce Animations an official feature for Samsung phones running Android Pie.
Turning the feature on doesn’t actually improve your phone’s performance − it simply cuts out animations so everything you do, like launching apps or opening menus, seems to happen immediately. However, it can also result in the user interface feeling slightly less smooth.
Previously, Samsung phone users had to unlock access to the Developer Options menu (Settings > About Device > tap Build Number seven times) in order to take advantage of Reduce Animations.
This makes things a little more straightforward.
Samsung’s Android Pie beta program is currently only open to users based in South Korea, Germany and the US. You can sign up by opening the Samsung Members app and tapping the Notices button.
Once you’ve enrolled, you’ll be able to download the Android Pie beta build by diving into the Settings menu on your handset, tapping Software Update and selecting Download Updates Manually.
Signing up to the beta will unlock access to the recently unveiled One UI skin, which runs on top of Android Pie on Samsung devices.
One UI is due to start rolling out to compatible Samsung devices in January, and has been designed to make larger phones easier and more comfortable to use. It will also introduce a Night Mode option, which could be used to extend your handset’s battery life.
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Android Pie – and, by extension, One UI – is also set to roll out to the Samsung Galaxy Note 9, as well as some former flagships like 2017’s Galaxy Note 8, Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus.
Are you excited about Android Pie? Are you sick of having to be patient yet? Let us know on Twitter @TrustedReviews.