I'm writing this as a long-time user and someone who closely follows performance improvements in Android.
When One UI Beta 1 introduced Vulkan for graphics rendering, I immediately noticed the difference - smoother animations, better gaming performance, and lower device temperatures during extended use. Vulkan is clearly a more modern and efficient API compared to OpenGL, and it finally felt like Samsung was using the full potential of its hardware.
But now, after the latest update, we're suddenly back to OpenGL - which is outdated, less efficient, and puts more load on the CPU. Why take such a big step backward?
Yes, Android 15 (and by extension, One UI 7) has broader support for Vulkan as a system-level graphics API, and in some cases, apps and UI elements may default to Vulkan where supported. However, rendering behavior can vary depending on the device, app compatibility, or performance tuning per build-especially in beta versions.
If you noticed Vulkan being used in Beta 1 and now see a fallback to OpenGL, this
may have been a temporary change for stability or compatibility reasons during ongoing testing. The final implementation could vary depending on how things evolve across Beta rounds.
App-level rendering (like in games) may still use OpenGL unless explicitly optimized for Vulkan, and system-level rendering decisions may not be consistently exposed unless verified through developer tools or logs.
Feel free to share any app or system context you're referring to, and we'll pass it along to the relevant team!
