Samsung may be switching from traditional buttons to gesture navigation on its new Galaxy devices. A recent setting spotted by a developer suggests that the company is testing an option to choose between gesture and button navigation during initial setup.
The change would apply to most Galaxy phones, including the upcoming Galaxy S26 series, which will run One UI 8.5 at launch. If confirmed, this would be Samsung’s first time actively prompting users to pick between the two options during the out-of-box experience.
Users will still be able to switch back to button navigation if they prefer, but changing the default could influence how many people use gestures on their devices. This move aligns with Google’s design direction for Android 16, which emphasizes fluid gesture transitions and immersive full-screen interactions.
The feature is not currently available in public builds of One UI 8 or new flagships, and it’s unclear when exactly it will debut. However, the Galaxy S26 series is a likely candidate to introduce this new navigation method.
Source: https://sammyguru.com/samsung-could-ditch-default-three-button-navigation-in-one-ui-8-5