Which Android UX skin is your favorite? Why do you like it?

Android smartphones come in all shapes and sizes, appealing to different people at different price points. We have top-tier Android flagships that dominate the premium segment, and we have budget Android phones that fit the bill without hurting your wallet. With so much competition between similar hardware, Android OEMs must create their own identity and experience to stand out. This is where Android UX skins come into play, not only changing the way you use your Android phone but also creating goodwill and brand image for the OEM in the long run.

Android phones from different companies come pre-installed with Android, but they don’t offer the same universal Android experience. These companies add their own software tweaks on top of Google’s Android, changing the phone’s functionality based on the needs and desires of its target users. Some manufacturers heavily reskin Android, changing almost everything, while others are more content to leave much of it unchanged with a few tweaks on top.

For example, Samsung prides itself on its One UI skin for Galaxy smartphones, which dramatically changes the look and functionality of the Android operating system. Likewise, Xiaomi’s Hyper OS is very different from the traditional look and feel of stock Android.

Google’s Pixel UI, on the other hand, takes stock Android and adds a few tweaks. Others, like Motorola and Asus, are more lightweight and only offer a few extra apps and settings just like their users prefer.

After all, Android is a choice. So, which Android UX skin do you choose?

Which Android UX skin is your favorite and why do you like it so much? What features make you unique? What other Android UX skins have you tried and why didn’t you like them? Are Android UX skins important enough to you that they influence your purchasing decision? Let us know what you think in the comments below!

In the meantime, here’s a brief breakdown of the various Android UX skins we’re seeing today!

Stock Android is not common on phones these days. “Stock Android” refers to the barebones mobile phone experience under the Android open source project. It has fewer features than you might be used to, but there’s also less bloatware you won’t need.

Google’s Pixel smartphones don’t actually come with Android pre-installed. Instead, Google created exclusive features that are only available on Pixel smartphones. Over time, these phones will also receive updated features through Pixel Feature Drops.

Samsung’s One UI is without a doubt the most popular UX skin just like on Galaxy smartphones. Flagship phones are equipped with a mature One UI experience, while newer phones such as the Galaxy S24 series are equipped with exclusive AI features. On cheaper Samsung phones, you get a more limited One UI Core experience.

Xiaomi’s smartphones have made the jump from MIUI to Hyper OS. Hyper OS will feel familiar, but it has a lot of new tricks that Xiaomi fans will appreciate.

OPPO, Realme and OnePlus smartphones share the same Color OS base, which is branded Oxygen OS on OnePlus smartphones for the global audience. China’s Color OS has undergone different adjustments, focusing more on features appreciated by regional customers.

There are more UX skins, such as Nothing’s Nothing OS, ASUS’s ROG UI, Motorola’s My UX, Sony’s Xperia UI and so on. Which one is your favorite?