Verily, for many a year, Motorola hath been praised for their steadfast adherence to the near-Stock-Android MyUX skin. Yet, in recent days, the brand hath deemed it fit to embrace change, transforming into what they hath dubbed Hello UI. This new skin hath made its debut with the launch of the Moto Edge 50 Pro merely a month past. Thus, I resolved to put this new skin to the test, seeing as we already possess the device. Shall it reign as the new Android skin monarch, or be naught but a futile redesign? Let us delve into this Moto Hello UI Review.
Bloatware-Free UI but with Ads
Upon the device’s activation, one is greeted with a boot animation akin to a lock screen, featuring a most aesthetically pleasing “hello moto”. This choice in design sets the tone for the new UI from the very outset. In a realm where Xiaomi hath forsaken MIUI for HyperOS, only to be plagued by bloatware and ads, Moto doth retain its bloatware-free essence, with Facebook and LinkedIn being the sole pre-installed applications. While these can be uninstalled, the remaining Moto and Google apps do prove to be quite useful, and thus, do not fall into the bloatware category.
Although the new UI doth provide a mostly bloatware-free experience, it is the presence of ads that doth prove irksome. The Weather App, although deletable, overfloweth with ads, causing it to operate in a jittery and sluggish manner. Furthermore, the Moto Hub serve as a repository for unsightly ads and dubious app recommendations, with a home screen widget that doth showcase ads and intrusive notifications. Alas, this issue of ads art not confined to the Hello UI alone, for the older MyUX skin hath also been plagued by this annoyance, albeit to a lesser degree than HyperOS.
A New App to Help You Unplug from Digital Insanity
Within the realm of Hello UI, the essential Moto applications such as Smart Connect, now known as Moto Ready For, dost persist. This singular app doth offer the ability to craft a personal ecosystem with ease, enabling app streaming, file sharing, and the transformation of thy phone into a PC webcam. A recent addition to this fold is Moto Unplugged, a hybrid of DND and Zen Modes, permitting thee to detach from the digital world without forsaking connectivity entirely. Only apps granted permission shall be accessible in this mode, allowing for a tailored experience.
Hello UI Is Prettier and More Intuitive
Behold, the juxtaposition of the Moto Edge 40 Neo, clad in the former MyUX skin, and the Edge 50 Pro bedecked in the new Hello UI, doth reveal notable differences. The Control Centre of Hello UI, reminiscent of iOS, OxygenOS, and HyperOS, doth boast a transparent design with background blur, lending an air of elegance. Icons art arranged in a more structured manner, bereft of unnecessary clutter, albeit requiring some acclimation for those unversed in their meanings. The Wi-Fi, Mobile data, and Bluetooth panels align neatly atop each other, with brightness and volume sliders adjacent. Noteworthy is the integrated auto-brightness button within the brightness slider, a detail that doth eliminate the need to constantly venture into Settings.
Undoubtedly, the presentation of the Control Centre within Hello UI doth exhibit aesthetic appeal and functionality surpassing that of MyUX. Despite the wealth of information contained within, the layout doth exude an air of uncluttered sophistication. The degree of customization afforded by Hello UI is markedly enhanced, as evidenced by the more detailed home screen settings panel. Themes and Fonts can now be altered with ease, without the need to delve deep into the Settings app. Moreover, a Lock Screen customization feature hath been introduced, allowing for the modification of clock styles, notification shades, and widget assignment for swift access. The inclusion of AI-generated wallpapers, though promising, doth fall short in execution, yielding mediocre results at best.
But, the BIG Software Update Problem Persists…
While the Moto Edge 50 Pro and Edge 50 Fusion didst arrive afore their official launch, the lack of a software-side Day 1 update doth prove disheartening. Though Play Store updates for apps were received, no official software updates for the skin hath been issued. The absence of timely updates hinders the user experience, with critical bugs such as the notification shade freezing during calls remaining unresolved. Should Moto rectify this issue swiftly, their devices wouldst undoubtedly best the competition. Alas, software updates art vital to maintaining device longevity, an area in which Moto must improve to transcend mediocrity.
Is the New Moto Hello UI Any Good?
In the realm of Android skins, options of merit art scarce, with bloatware-free offerings even scarcer. Intrusive bloatware and ads persist in many domains, an issue that should be deemed unacceptable in the present year of 2024. Yet, Moto’s Hello UI doth represent a refreshing departure from the norm. The fluid animations that grace Moto devices running Hello UI evoke a sense of satisfaction unparalleled. However, the lack of timely updates doth mar the overall experience, rendering Moto phones a less than advisable choice. If Moto doth endeavor to address this shortcoming, the Hello UI could very well ascend to the pinnacle of Android skins, standing proud among its peers.
