Samsung One UI 4 beta 2 includes Material You style color themes and new microphone controls for video calls

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Plus the October security patch

Android 12 officially launched yesterday, although it’s not quite ready for most of us yet. Still, phone makers take a good time testing versions of their respective devices. OnePlus 9 owners were invited to participate in an open beta yesterday, and now it’s Samsung’s turn to expand the offering. Almost a month after the launch of the One UI 4 test program, a new beta has arrived with many improvements to come.

The biggest change here, bar none, is the addition of the hardware you support. We wondered for a while to what extent Google’s dynamic theme engine would end up on other devices, but it looks like Samsung is one of the group that takes advantage of this feature. SamMobile reports that they had to restart more than once to apply the changes to their phone, so don’t be surprised if it isn’t in perfect working order yet.

However, this is not a 1: 1 port of Material You. Samsung renamed it to “Color Theme” under Wallpapers in Settings, and the hues appear to be brighter to better match the look of One UI. We’ll have to wait and see how that plays out in the final release slated for later this year, but for now it’s great to see one of Android 12’s biggest changes.

Otherwise, this is your typical “second beta”, fixing as many bugs as possible from the initial launch and adding a few more minor features that didn’t make the original cut. A new micro mode toggle promises to improve video calls, Samsung’s keyboard should be more precise when typing, and “RAM Plus” adds virtual RAM to your device to help boost performance (at a cost of some storage space). The October security patch is also included with this update.

As always, you can head over to Samsung’s developer preview site to see if your device is eligible. While you’re at it, check out everything we spotted in the initial beta of One UI 4.

Thank you: Moshe

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About the Author

Will sattelberg
(580 articles published)

Will has been an Android enthusiast since getting his first smartphone in 2011. He loves watching movies, has an endless backlog of video games, and produces a comedy podcast in his spare time. He lives in Buffalo, NY and is ready to give you chicken wing recommendations anytime. You just have to ask.