- Samsung could soon let you choose swipe navigation as the default while setting up a new phone.
- Samsung is testing a choice screen that will allow choosing between three-button navigation and swipe navigation gestures during setup.
- The feature is only being tested and could be introduced with One UI 8.5 on the Galaxy S26.
Despite being a leading innovator in the mobile space, Samsung can sometimes resist change, especially when the mandate originates from other stakeholders, even Google. Until recently, Samsung refused to support seamless updates on its Android devices, even though it would have allowed users to save time. The welcome change came last year, and now, Samsung is likely to step away from another feature it has held sacred for a long time: three-button navigation.
Even though Google and other Android manufacturers have embraced swipe navigation gestures, the three-button system is chosen by default when you set up a new Samsung phone. If anyone wants to use navigation gestures, they must head to Settings on their Galaxy phones or tablets and switch it manually after completing the setup. However, with future versions of One UI 8, Samsung could finally allow users to choose between the three-button and gesture-based navigation systems while setting up their phones.