Samsung App Discontinuation
While most of the population is either trying to sober up and survive January 1 or hitting the local gym for that “New Year, new me” self-deception, Samsung is acting differently.
This coming January 1, 2024, will be the last day of a Samsung app, but don’t you worry – it’s not a major one. SamMobile’s report is dubbing it “useless”: that’s the Video Library app.
Here’s how it looks like, in case you’ve forgotten it (or you’ve never used it before):
Samsung sent a notice explaining that it will no longer update the app or provide compatibility support for Android 14 or One UI 6.0 and future updates.
In the end-of-support notice, the Korean giant explains things straightforwardly, stating that “it has become difficult to continue the service due to the low usage and activation rate and the difficulty of distinguishing Samsung Video Library from other apps”. Those “other apps” are probably the Gallery app and its Video Player and Video Editor components.
Samsung says that “after the discontinuation date [January 1, 2024], you can continue to use the app […] in the OS versions or supported models,” including:
- Android 6 to Android 13.
- Galaxy S5 to Galaxy S23 series.
- Galaxy Note 4 to Galaxy Note 20.
- All Galaxy Z, A, and M models.
What’s my alternative?
As said above, one can rely on the Gallery app and its embedded Video Player and Video Editor components to take over for the discontinued Video Library.
More about the One UI 6
Speaking of One UI 6, don’t forget to check if the stable One UI 6 has arrived on your Galaxy S23 if you’re lucky enough to own one. Now that the One UI 6 beta updates for those flagships are over, you can check for the stable release by going to Settings and tapping the Software update menu.
For now, the update is apparently being rolled out in select European countries including France, Germany, Poland, and the UK, but it’s worth checking if it has magically arrived on your Galaxy S23 as well, even if you’re not located in the aforementioned countries.
Expect the update at around 3GB as it includes the October 2023 security patch plus a bunch of important improvements like the simplification of the icon labels on the home screen and the new emoji designs that the Samsung Keyboard got.
Meanwhile, Galaxy Z Fold 5 users who are subscribed to the beta testing program can now expect to lay their hands on the fourth One UI 6 beta for Samsung’s latest foldable.
