Samsung and Google have reportedly reached an agreement whereby the former will tone down its Android custom user interface dubbed Magazine, which the Korean electronics giant showcased on its Galaxy Note Pro and Tab Pro tablets during CES earlier this month.
The tension between the tech giants grew intense last year when last March the Korean handset maker announced its flagship Galaxy S4 smartphone with its own “Media Hub” placed on home screens across its Galaxy line of smartphones and tablets, imposing a direct threat to the Google Play app store and media library.
According to a report on Re/Code that cites unnamed sources, Samsung will no longer replicate any of Google’s core apps on its Galaxy devices. It is not yet clear though what Samsung will do to cut down its user interfaces, but it seems that the Korean firm will either be dumping or altering it’s Magazine UX.
The report claims that Samsung will axe its home-made apps including ChatOn and WatchOn which divert users away from Google’s content to its own. Newer and upcoming Samsung devices will instead highlight Google Play apps rather than the company’s own apps.
Samsung, declining to comment anything on the matter, said that “To continue our momentum of delivering great user experiences and bringing greater value to people’s lives, Samsung will continue to identify and provide differentiated and innovative service and content offerings on our mobile devices”.
