Samsung Edge Panel Update: One UI 8.5 Brings Landscape Support

Samsung’s Edge Panel, a feature which made its debut back in 2014 along with the release of the company's curved-edge smartphones, is about to get new functionalities in the form of the One UI 8.5 update. Initially, the Edge Panel aimed at giving a swift launch to apps and utilities by just a swipe from the screen's edge, and it has survived the gradual decline of curved displays.

As of now, the Edge Panel is automatically hidden in current Samsung devices when the orientation of the screen is switched to landscape mode. However, the One UI 8.5 is the source of early hints that this might change. The Edge Panel could be the case that it will stay visible and adapt to fit landscape mode, enabling users to access their favorite apps without turning back to portrait orientation.

The panel will show three app shortcuts in landscape at a time, and scrolling will lead to the rest of the icons. This complements Samsung's persistent strategy to enhance usability across different home screen layouts.

Customizing Quick Panel

Along with Edge Panel upgrades, One UI 8.5 possibly will bring more versatility to the Quick Panel. Users might be granted the power to manipulate toggles by either adding or removing according to their liking, thus, the path to settings used most will be made shorter.

In the past, Samsung made changes to home screen layouts in landscape mode with One UI 7.0, repositioning apps and widgets for easier accessibility. The 8.5 version, in the light of this history, appears to be opening a new section in the same chapter of usability improvements for Edge Panel feature.