Bright HDR photos and videos can be a double-edged sword. While they showcase your phone’s advanced display capabilities with stunning colors and contrast, they can become an annoyance, especially in low-light settings. Imagine scrolling through Instagram at night, only to have an HDR video unexpectedly light up your room. To address this, Samsung has unveiled a new feature in its forthcoming One UI 7 update, currently in beta testing.

The Super HDR Toggle: A Game-Changer

The highlight of the update is a system-wide toggle called “Super HDR,” found in the settings menu. Its description—“Automatically adjust the display to show the full range of colors and contrast in pictures taken with Galaxy devices”—might suggest it’s limited to photos captured on Galaxy phones. However, the functionality is much broader. Enabling this feature keeps HDR brightness in check across all apps, ensuring a more comfortable viewing experience without compromising display quality. Whether it’s Instagram, YouTube, or other HDR-supporting platforms, the Super HDR toggle provides consistent control.

HDR: A Balancing Act

HDR (High Dynamic Range) has become a staple in modern media, offering an impressive viewing experience with enhanced brightness and contrast. But this can sometimes backfire, with extreme highlights causing eye strain or discomfort in darker environments. Samsung’s solution gives users more control, letting them enjoy HDR content without worrying about sudden, blinding flashes.

How Samsung Stands Out

This move places Samsung ahead of the curve, as competing platforms like Apple’s iPhone currently lack a dedicated HDR brightness control. On iPhones, the only workaround is to enable Low Power Mode, which indirectly limits HDR brightness but also applies unnecessary restrictions across the system. By contrast, Samsung’s Super HDR toggle is a focused solution, targeting HDR content specifically.

For certain apps, there are other ways to manage HDR playback. For example, iOS users can disable HDR in Instagram by adjusting the “Media Quality” settings. However, this option isn’t available on Android, making Samsung’s system-wide feature even more valuable.

Broader Implications

The introduction of the Super HDR toggle reflects a growing need for granular control over advanced display features. As HDR becomes more prevalent, with devices capturing HDR video by default, users need tools to manage this technology effectively. Samsung’s innovation ensures HDR remains a benefit, not a burden.

This feature could also encourage other manufacturers to develop similar solutions, especially as HDR content continues to expand across apps, streaming services, and social media platforms.

What Else Is in One UI 7?

While Super HDR is the star of the show, Samsung’s One UI 7 is expected to bring additional enhancements. These could include refined adaptive brightness algorithms, performance optimizations, and improved customization options, further enhancing the overall user experience.

A Look Ahead

Samsung’s proactive approach highlights its commitment to user comfort and control. By addressing a real pain point with a simple toggle, the company has set a new standard for how display technology can balance performance and usability.

For Galaxy phone users, this means no more blinding highlights disrupting your late-night scrolling. Whether you’re watching videos, browsing social media, or simply exploring HDR content, the One UI 7 update promises a smoother, more controlled experience. This thoughtful addition could inspire similar innovations across the industry, giving users more power over how they interact with their devices.