Samsung’s Iconic UX exposed in new patent filing, closely resembles previous leak

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samsung touchwiz 2014

Earlier this year we got a sneak peek at what was supposed to be Samsung’s new UX for the Galaxy S5, courtesy of the now retired @evleaks. Although the Galaxy S5 did manage to bring a fresh coat of paint with a flatter, more minimal version of their now infamous TouchWiz custom Android interface, (blue greens everywhere), the home screen, widgets, and icons were nothing like what we saw in the above leak (and for some, that was a good thing).

But it may not have been the last we’ve seen of this florescent new user interface. Samsung recently filed a software patent with the Korean Intellectual Property Office (published only a few days ago) for what appears to be this very same UI. Dubbed Iconic UX, this new user experience looks nearly identical to the leaked Android screenshots from earlier this year.

Although the design sketches are in black and white, we can see the same use of these BlinkFeed-like homescreen widgets and even how Samsung allows users to interact with them, tapping and expanding using a 2-finger gestures. It’s drastically different from what we’re currently used to in Samsung smartphones, but too unlike Samsung tablets and their Magazine UX. You can check out some of the design sketches down below.

If this is, in fact, designed for Samsung’s Android devices (and not their own in-house Tizen OS), it’s possible we wont see a drastic user interface change like this until the Samsung Galaxy S6 launches next year. It simply doesn’t make much sense for an OEM to launch yet another entirely new user interface only a few months into the lifecycle of their current flagship, possibly confusing consumers in the process.

No matter what, it will be interesting to see where Samsung takes this, especially considering Google’s new licensing terms for Android OEMs looking to access the Google Play Store and their other suite of applications.

[Patent (PDF Download) | via GalaxyClub.nl]

Chris Chavez
I've been obsessed with consumer technology for about as long as I can remember, be it video games, photography, or mobile devices. If you can plug it in, I have to own it. Preparing for the day when Android finally becomes self-aware and I get to welcome our new robot overlords.

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13 Comments

  1. So this is how Samsung is going to screw up Android L… It was only a matter of time I guess *sigh*

    1. Looks nice to me, from the patents seems they’re going with a google now approach. The lock screen on the render looks pretty sweet too. Looks 10x more modern than current touchwiz.

      1. The problem is, it’s still a variant of touchwiz.

        1. Lol they’re not going to get rid of touchwiz, that’s just wishful thinking. I would rather have this form of touchwiz than the current gingerbread look. Seriously the green has to go.

        2. I guess they want to design a UI that “transcends” the OS, so it’s easy to move people who buy “Samsung phones” onto another OS without them noticing – initially…

    2. Very unlikely. On the note 3 it was powered by flipboard. On the S5 it’s very limited. No rss, no facebook. Just some preset news feeds and twitter and LinkedIn.

      And it has never been updated. So I expect Samsung will be forced out of using My Magazine by Google and that’s why they never developed it beyond something very basic.

  2. If you cannot compete with Samsung. You sue Samsung with patent. Apple is Cheap!!!!!!!!!!!

    1. Your unusual grammar makes you sound like South Korean is your native language. Do you work for Samsung? ಠ_ಠ

      1. Yours is not any better either!!!

      2. GO DRUNK YOU’RE HOME!

  3. I imagine if they do release it with the S6 I am sure that they will also offer it to the s5 and Note 4, but not until then

  4. Love how they included some (poorly spelled) HIMYM character names in the sketches…and a “Hey baby…” from Miranda Ker too :P

  5. Samsung – Jack of all trades, master of none. Except for gorgeous displays

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