Samsung completely revamped DeX mode! In One UI 8, it looks more modern and offers new features

After almost eight years of development, Samsung is bringing a significant change to the DeX feature, which transforms your smartphone into a full-fledged workstation. The new version in One UI 8 is no longer a purely Samsung-specific solution but is built on Android 16’s official desktop mode. Although this is a relatively big change “under the hood,” regular users should not feel the differences too much.

From a Niche Feature to the Core of the System

The DeX feature first appeared in 2017 with the launch of the Galaxy S8 and has gradually evolved since then. At this year’s Google I/O conference, we finally saw the announcement that Android 16 will bring native desktop mode support, which was largely inspired by Samsung’s solution. It is therefore not surprising that the Korean manufacturer rebuilt its DeX on this new foundation.

Old vs. new DeX design:

The updated DeX version has so far only appeared on the latest foldable phones, the Galaxy Z Fold7 and Z Flip7. Older supported models should receive the update with the arrival of the stable One UI 8 version.

What Has Changed and What Remains

At first glance, the new DeX looks almost identical to the previous version. However, a more detailed exploration reveals several important changes:

• The separate DeX tab in Settings has disappeared – it has been replaced by a more general “Connected Display” menu
• The button to exit DeX is no longer found in the app menu
• The app menu now supports vertical scrolling instead of the previous horizontal

The main panel now also mirrors the dock from the phone’s screen – which is one of the features adopted directly from Android 16’s desktop mode.

According to Android Authority, some options available via the right mouse button for the desktop and main panel have also disappeared, UI elements now remain visible even when playing full-screen video, and the option to “pin” an application has been removed.

More Professional, Less Experimental

Although the new DeX loses some minor features of the previous version, it generally feels much more refined than the basic Android 16 desktop mode, which is still in beta and, according to initial impressions, feels quite immature. Samsung has evidently leveraged its many years of experience with this feature to create the most user-friendly environment possible.

For most users of the DeX feature – which is itself a rather niche aspect – these changes will likely not be very noticeable. More importantly, thanks to integration with Android’s native solution, better app compatibility and potentially faster development of new features should be ensured.

What do you think about the new DeX?

Source: 9to5google, AndroidAuthority