Another week is about to end, the last one before the World Cup begins. And while starting tomorrow, the football cloud will dominate the skies, today we can still take a look back at the best of the week in the Android scene. The releases of September, the possible new WhatsApp, all the data about the new Samsung Galaxy F, and some options for customize your Android, are what you can't miss.
Customize your Android
Owning an Android and not customizing it is almost a crime. Every week, in Android Help, you can find articles related to the personalizing your smartphoneThe week began talking about GravityBox, a module for Xposed Framework that allows us to make a large number of modifications to the smartphone's interface. It's almost like installing a Custom ROM, but much easier, and without having to lose everything we already have installed. Another module we talked about yesterday was the one that allowed us to free up space in the notification bar on our Android. For example, the alarm, whenever it's active, has a clock icon in the notification bar. A useless icon, because most of the day we don't care if the alarm is active, and when we do, the icon doesn't indicate that the alarm is set correctly, if we have several. Therefore, it's possible remove the icon. We can also finish with the battery, the coverage signal, or the clock. And all this without forgetting the permanent icons of some applications, such as Spotify, or Adblock Plus. We also talk about the new keyboard of the LG G3, and the possibility of install it now on any Android.
If you'd rather not touch Xposed, Samsung's One UI offers native tools Very powerful: from QuickStart customization to advanced home screen organization with Home Up (via Good Lock). Plus, there are some new features worth activating:
- Notification history: Saves notifications for hours; useful for recovering deleted messages from apps like WhatsApp.
- Secure Lock and Lock Mode: temporarily disable biometrics and force PIN/password.
- AI Keyboard: corrects style, translate chats in real time and speed up responses without leaving the app.
- secure folder: Protects sensitive apps and files with an encrypted layer and independent access.
One UI also incorporates productivity improvements that make a difference in everyday life: QuickShare to send/receive files instantly from quick settings; adhesive notes in Samsung Notes to add quick bookmarks without altering documents; and a file manager with filters by download app to find content with fewer taps. On large screens, My Files debuts panel scanning, opening folders in separate columns so as not to lose context.
For a smoother experience, switch to navigation gestures (Settings > Display > Navigation bar) and, if your Galaxy supports it, activate the maximum resolution Screen in Settings > Display. When making calls, open the quick settings and use Microphone Mode > Highlight Voice so you can be heard better in noisy environments, even on VoIP calls.
The Samsung Internet browser has been redesigned To access what you use every day faster, it allows customize your menu and adds AI-powered features: one-click article summary and full translation of pages. In addition, the calculator now includes its vertical science mode, perfect for advanced calculations without rotating the phone.
If you use a compatible Galaxy Z Flip, the Now Bar On the home screen, it offers access to stopwatch, timer, recorder, media controls, or Samsung Health without unlocking. On large-format foldable devices, My Files displays several panels when opening subfolders to speed up your workflow.
Before testing changes, make sure your software is up to date: go to Settings > Software Update > Download and Install and follow the instructions. Keeping your system and apps updated ensures security enhancements and support for these features.
Good Lock: Essential Modules and Key New Features
Good Lock is Samsung's official suite for taking customization to the next level with modules that expand One UI's options: Theme Park (advanced topics), notistar (notification history/filters), Sound assistant (volume control by app), Nice shot (captures and recording), One Hand Operation + (powerful one-handed gestures), among others. In recent versions, Good Lock simplifies getting started with My Page (reset changes and manage settings), adds filters to locate functions and expands their availability.
- Home Up: Place icons and widgets without a fixed grid, add stickers, adjust folder sizes and breaks the limits from the desks.
- QuickStar: more quick panel control and option to hide icons like multi-user lock.
- MultiStar: Better use of external display on Flip with Cover Launcher.
- Theme Park: define the icon shape (including folders) and use more stickers/backgrounds to decorate.
- Pentastic: customize the icon Air Command of the S Pen.
- Edge/Taskbar: More icons and scrolling in recents; reorder or expand the taskbar on foldable devices/tablets.
- Game Booster+: maps controls, adjusts GPU/textures and reclassifies apps as games.
- Camera Assistant: allows you to save videos directly to internal storage connected via USB‑C in various capture modes.
And in the Camera app, the zoom control with slide bar during the video allows for smoother transitions than 2x/3x jumps, resulting in a More professional. On compatible models, the filter noise reduction in video it provides cleaner clips.
Application WhatsApp Messenger It's already a part of every user's daily life. It's normal, as it has become almost the most widely used means of communication in the entire world. However, it still has many things to improve, and it seems that it will change quite a bit after Facebook has acquired the company. These are some of the news that could arrive in the coming weeks.
If you are worried about missing notifications, turn on the Notification history of One UI (Settings > Notifications > Advanced settings > History). This way you can read deleted messages from WhatsApp that arrived as a notification (text), check what you accidentally missed, and better manage your attention. Combine it with improved audibility in calls so the other person can hear you better even with ambient noise, and with the Samsung keyboard to translate in real time conversations with contacts who write in another language.
September releases
This week has also seen a lot of news about upcoming releases. And coincidentally, it seems that many companies have chosen the month of September to launch the different smartphones or smart watches. The Motorola Moto X + 1 It is one of the smartphones that will arrive in September. After many rumors that it could arrive in summer, it seems that it will not be.
El Samsung Gear 3 it would also be added to that list of new releases for the month of September. Obviously, it would not be presented alone, but at the same event as the Samsung Galaxy Note 4. This smartwatch is expected to be of a higher level than the Samsung Gear 2, and also to depend on a smartphone.
All this without forgetting the new Sony flagship, the X. Apparently, it wouldn't have too many new features, but it would still be launched in September. Without a Snapdragon 805 processor, without a 2K screen. However, it could have a new design.
Samsung Galaxy F
But without a doubt, the star of the week has been the Samsung Galaxy F, or Samsung Galaxy S5 Prime, depending on the name. It would be the new flagship from Samsung, which, by the way, could also arrive in September. At the beginning of the week received certification in the South Korea FCC-like organization, for days later also receive certification in the FCC itself. It has not been the only thing, there has also been talk about what the new smartphone could be called Samsung Galaxy Alpha, another name to the fore, and all this without forgetting several things. On the one hand, The first "official" photograph of the smartphone that was published. On the other, the photographs that were published yesterday and that came from a user who claimed to already have a prototype of the Samsung Galaxy F. And finally, the evidence from Samsung showing that You can now expect the launch of the Samsung Galaxy F in the third quarter..
The leaks speculated about a more premium finish, improved display, and a refined design compared to the standard line. Certifications indicate that the prototypes were advanced enough to undergo regulatory procedures, which is usually the prelude to official announcements. The images that circulated fit the "Prime/Alpha" positioning so associated with the Galaxy F family.
Meanwhile, Samsung has been beefing up the layer of software and customization that would accompany any flagship. With a redesigned Samsung Internet, Quick Share as a streamlined file-sharing method, and Good Lock evolving with a Home Up without gratesThe user experience seeks to differentiate itself as much as the hardware. This combination of hardware and software is key to understanding how the Galaxy F/Prime/Alpha fits into the catalog.
Next week will once again be a week of new releases, and of course, we also hope for new news about the possible Samsung Galaxy F. If you are going to get a new phone, remember to activate security features such as safety function and take advantage of the Notification history and keyboard AI tools to help you communicate better; if you already have a Galaxy, Good Lock and One UI let you seamlessly take your customization to the next level.
