Samsung will begin charging smartphone owners to use the previously free phone themes, once Android Pie rolls out next year.
The Samsung Themes store will only offer 14-day trials of the downloads, which allow users to customise the look and feel of their phones.
A notification spied by a Droid Life reader says once the free trial of the theme has ended, the phone will automatically switch back to the default theme. Users will get two notifications warning them – one day and ten minutes before the expiry.
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Each notification will invite phone owners to cough up some cash in order to continue using the themes. Strangely, Samsung already offers users free and paid themes within the store, but those free ones will only be temporary once Android Pie rolls out on phones like the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy Note 9.
You can see the notification within the Themes store below:
Image credit: Droid-Life
When Pie rolls out on Samsung phones early next year, it’ll also bring the redesigned One UI into play. Announced at the Samsung Developers Conference earlier this month, the new user experience is designed to put the most pertinent information, front and centre, in easy to reach places.
The new Android skin will draw eyes to what matters, the company said, rather than users having to scan and reach around the length of the display to get whether they want to be.
One UI will also roll out for the Galaxy Note 8 and the Samsung Galaxy S8 along with Android Pie.
The first official beta for Pie began rolling out on Samsung devices in some territories this week, but it isn’t yet available in the UK.
Are you exited for One UI and Android Pie to inject some new life into your flagship Samsung phone? Are you upset about the devision to start charging for previously free themes? Let us know @TrustedReviews on Twitter.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
