TouchWiz

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TouchWiz
Available in 50+ languages
Type Graphical user interface
License proprietary
Website www.samsung.com/uk/mobileappsandservices/touchwiz.html

TouchWiz is a front-end touch interface developed by Samsung Electronics with partners, featuring a full touch user interface. It is sometimes incorrectly identified as an operating system. TouchWiz is used internally by Samsung for smartphones, feature phones and tablet computers, and is not available for licensing by external parties. The Android version of TouchWiz also comes with Samsung-made apps preloaded.

The latest versions of TouchWiz are: TouchWiz Nature UX 5.0,[1] which is on the Galaxy S6 and TouchWiz Nature UX 3.0/3.5 on the Galaxy S5 and Galaxy Note 4.[2] They feature a more refined user interface as compared to the previous version, TouchWiz Nature UX, on the Galaxy S III. The status bar is now transparent during home screen mode in TouchWiz Nature UX 2.0 and TouchWiz Nature UX 2.5. In TouchWiz 4.0 on Galaxy S II and the Galaxy Note (both later updated to Nature UX), some of the features added include panning and tilt,[3] which makes use of the accelerometer and gyroscope in the phone to detect motion.

TouchWiz is used by Samsung's own proprietary operating systems, Bada and REX, as well as phones based on the Android operating system. It is also present in phones running the Tizen operating system.

TouchWiz was a central issue in Apple v. Samsung.

Versions[edit]

TouchWiz 3.0 Lite (Supports Android 2.1 - Android 2.2) (2010)[edit]

The Lite version of 3.0 was the "plain" edition of the original 3.0. The first device with TouchWiz 3.0 Lite was Samsung Galaxy Proclaim.

TouchWiz 3.0 (Supports Android 2.1 - Android 2.2) (2010)[edit]

The original version of TouchWiz was first introduced by the Samsung Galaxy S.

TouchWiz 4.0 (Supports Android 2.3 - Android 4.0) (2011)[edit]

The Second Version of TouchWiz was improved with hardware acceleration. Samsung Galaxy S II was the first device preloaded with TouchWiz 4.0. It also has an optional gesture-based interaction called 'motion' which (among other things) allows users to zoom in and out by placing two fingers on the screen and tilting the device towards and away from themselves to zoom in and out respectively. This gesture function works on both the web browser and the images in gallery used within this device. "Panning" on TouchWiz 4.0 allows the movement of widgets and icons shortcuts between screens, by allowing the device to be held and moved from side to side to scroll through home screens. This gesture-based management of widgets is a new optional method next to the existing method of holding and swiping between home screens.

Preloaded Apps (Selected Devices only)[edit]

  • Diary
  • Samsung Apps
  • Voice Command
  • AllShare Play
  • Samsung Kies Air
  • Samsung Social Hub
  • Samsung Music Hub
  • Samsung Readers Hub
  • Samsung Game Hub

Preloaded Apps (Samsung Galaxy Note Devices only)[edit]

  • S Note
  • Diary
  • Samsung Apps
  • Voice Command
  • AllShare Play
  • Samsung Kies Air
  • Samsung Social Hub
  • Samsung Music Hub
  • Samsung Readers Hub
  • Samsung Game Hub

TouchWiz Nature UX Lite (Supports Android 4.0) (2012)[edit]

The Lite version of the Nature UX of TouchWiz was the "plain" edition of the original TouchWiz Nature UX. The first device with TouchWiz Nature UX Lite was the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0.

Preloaded Apps[edit]

TouchWiz Nature UX (Supports Android 4.0.4 - Android 4.1.2) (2012)[edit]

The third version of TouchWiz was renamed to TouchWiz Nature UX along with the complete redesigned look and feel. Samsung Galaxy S III, Samsung galaxy star duos and the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 are the first devices preloaded with TouchWiz Nature UX. The "Nature" version used by the S III and Note 10.1 has a more "organic" feel than previous versions, and contains more interactive elements such as a water ripple effect on the lock screen and brand new system sounds. To complement the TouchWiz interface, and as a response to Apple's Siri, the phone introduces S Voice, Samsung's intelligent personal assistant. S Voice can recognize eight languages including English, Korean and French. Based on Vlingo, S Voice enables the user to verbally control 20 functions such as playing a song, setting the alarm, or activating driving mode; it relies on Wolfram Alpha for online searches. New eye tracking functions such as Smart Stay can be found on selected TouchWiz Nature UX devices.

Preloaded Apps (Selected Devices only)[edit]

  • ChatON
  • Samsung Apps
  • S Voice
  • Samsung Game Hub
  • Samsung Video Hub
  • Samsung Social Hub
  • AllShare Play
  • Samsung Music Hub
  • S Suggest
  • S Memo

Preloaded Apps (Samsung Galaxy Note Devices only)[edit]

  • ChatON
  • Samsung Apps
  • S Voice
  • S Note
  • Samsung Game Hub
  • Samsung Video Hub
  • Samsung Social Hub
  • AllShare Play
  • Samsung Music Hub
  • S Suggest
  • S Memo

TouchWiz Nature UX 2.0 (Supports Android 4.2) (2013)[edit]

The fourth version of TouchWiz is still based on the "Nature" version used by the S III with some slight design changes. Samsung Galaxy S4 is the first device preloaded with TouchWiz Nature UX 2.0. Even more eye tracking abilities were introduced with the S4 such as Smart Scroll. The settings menu is now split into four sections: Connections, My Device, Accounts, and More (phones only).

S4 using TouchWiz

Preloaded Apps (Selected Devices only)[edit]

Preloaded Apps (Samsung Galaxy Note Devices only)[edit]

TouchWiz Nature UX 2.5 (Supports Android 4.3 - Android 4.4) (2013)[edit]

TouchWiz Nature UX 2.5 is also slightly changed in design. Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition are the first devices to be preloaded with the new TouchWiz. The brand new version of TouchWiz now completely supports Samsung Knox security function. The new settings menu (Connections, Device, Controls, General) from the Note 3 (with the four categories at the top of the screen) now supports tablets, such as the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition, while preserving the traditional two panel layout since the original Galaxy Tab 10.1. This reduces the amount of scrolling needed for a user to go to a specific item on the left panel. Also noteworthy to remember is the new search box, located just above the first item and below the category. It was moved to the top right in Android 4.4.

Multi user support was added in Android 4.3. Up to eight users can be added.

The Galaxy S4, Note 3, Note 2 and other 2013 smartphones still remain in this version of TouchWiz after its update to Android 4.4, while the Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition, Galaxy Note 8.0, and other 2013 tablets are updated to TouchWiz Nature UX 3.0 after the update. The search box has moved to the top right corner of the settings screen as a search button on devices with the multi-tab Settings application (Connections, Device, Controls, General).

Preloaded Apps (Selected Devices only)[edit]

Preloaded Apps (Samsung Galaxy Note Devices only)[edit]

TouchWiz Nature UX 3.0 (Supports Android 4.4 - Android 5.0) (2014)[edit]

TouchWiz Nature UX 3.0 is also slightly changed in design. Samsung Galaxy S5 and the Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 are the first devices to be preloaded with the new TouchWiz. The skin has undergone evolution towards improved user friendliness with larger icons, less clutter, and visual cues. Samsung has recreated all the icons making them look flatter. Settings is no longer a long text list and is replaced with quick settings icons that give very clear visual cues. Settings is still a multi-panel app in TouchWiz, compared to the one panel layout in stock Android 4.4 KitKat.

In Android 4.4, the menu system is redesigned once again. One can now tap on the divider to adjust the width of the two panels in a multi-pane app (for example, Settings). Also, the search box in the settings menu has moved to the top right corner of the screen.

Some budget Samsung devices, such as the Galaxy Ace Style, Galaxy Core 2 and Galaxy Young 2, feature a reduced version of TouchWiz named "TouchWiz Essence", which is based on TouchWiz Nature UX 3.0 but adapted for devices with less than 1GB of RAM.[4] Exceptions are the Galaxy A series and the Galaxy E series, which retain the original version of Nature UX 3.0.

For the Samsung Galaxy Note 4, a slightly modified version of TouchWiz Nature UX 3.0 was released with it. Notable changes are:

  • Settings menu has a white background compared to the original version on Galaxy S5.
  • The lockscreen's digital clock is now centered.
  • The font for the digital clock was also changed.

Older high-end devices from 2013 (Galaxy S4 and Note 3) received this modified TouchWiz skin with the 5.0 update.

TouchWiz Nature UX 5.0 (Supports Android 5.0 - Android 5.1) (2015)[edit]

A slightly improved from the TouchWiz UI. This version of Touchwiz appeared with the release of the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge. It is the first TouchWiz to support themes which includes an Icon Changer, Wallpaper and UI elements which is similar to Huawei's Emotion UI. Older flagships from 2014 (Galaxy S5 and Note 4) will receive this new version of the interface with the 5.1 update.

Phones running Samsung TouchWiz[edit]

Proprietary[edit]

Bada[edit]

Windows Mobile[edit]

Symbian[edit]

Android[edit]

Cameras[edit]

Smartphones[edit]

Phablets[edit]

Tablets[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ TouchWiz UX imminent for Samsung Galaxy Note 4 via Android 5.1 OS update: Report
  2. ^ Samsung Galaxy S5 vs Samsung Galaxy S4
  3. ^ What are the features that TouchWiz has that stock Android does not have?
  4. ^ Samsung launches Galaxy Ace 4, Galaxy Core II, Galaxy Young 2 and Galaxy Star 2
  5. ^ "Samsung Solstice II SGH-A817 (AT&T)". CNET. November 17, 2010. 
  6. ^ "Samsung Corby". Samsung. Retrieved July 5, 2011. 
  7. ^ "Specs - AT&T Cell Phones SGH-I997 | Samsung Cell Phones". Samsung.com. 2012-12-15. Retrieved 2013-07-11. 
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