Samsung Galaxy smartphones run the Android operating system under the
Google Mobile Services platform, however Samsung and third-parties have bundled various other software in them too. The
TouchWiz interface was used until 2017, replaced by
Samsung Experience. This was then replaced by
One UI in 2019. The company has created many apps and services under the Galaxy brand specifically for these devices - many of which come preloaded - including the
Galaxy Store which provides apps and customizations. Since late 2019, several
Microsoft apps like
Outlook also come preloaded on Galaxy as a result of a Samsung-Microsoft partnership. This app is known for collecting large amounts of sensitive personal data, without a chance to opt-out or uninstall the app without achieving root access due to it falling under the system app umbrella. This process of gaining root access would trip the
Samsung Knox E-fuse and void the warranty in the event this is achieved by use of
bootloader unlocking, which has recently become impossible on all Samsung devices running
OneUI 8 or above, as the code for unlocking the
bootloader has been completely stripped from not only the settings app, but also the bootloader itself.
Interoperability Samsung have made several tools for making various Galaxy devices like phones, tablets and watches, work closer together.
Samsung Flow is a feature allowing content to be synced with a PC, such as notifications, replying to messages and authenticating from a PC, and sharing content. It was announced in November 2014, released in a preview form in May 2015 with the final release in May 2016. Microsoft's
Phone Link has been included on Galaxy smartphones since 2019.
Device Control is another feature in the quick panel that can control
SmartThings and other devices. ==Release history==