Updated Jan. 6 with details of One UIs release date and more One UI 7 upgrades.Samsung has its new flagship phone, the Galaxy S25 series, almost ready for release (heres when to expect it). But it looks like there will be a major speed boost for one aspect of the current Galaxy S24 series which is great news for those who have the S24, S24 Plus or S24 Ultra and wont need to buy a new phone to get it.Now, a third beta of the One UI 7 software has been launched, with changes to the UI in it, and a Samsung announcement has just revealed when we can expect the new software.Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. 2024 Bloomberg Finance LPAs well as the speed improvement, there are plenty of other additions in the One UI 7 free upgrade, such as an app drawer which scrolls vertically, complete with a message to alert users to the change. There are plenty of small changes, such as a new icon for Galaxy AI, new sounds like the ones discussed below, and updates to the settings in the Game Booster mode. Issues that had arisen in earlier versions of the software, such as lock screen shortcuts and volume key operations have also been fixed.At CES in Las Vegas on Monday, Jan. 6, Samsung revealed that the next Galaxy Unpacked will be on Wednesday, Jan. 22, which is when we can expect the launch of the Galaxy S25 line. This points to One UI 7, with the benefits discussed below, coming very soon after that.MORE FOR YOUThe new beta software is now rolling out to the Galaxy S24 series, and promises a lot of changes, including enhancements to the Now Bar that features on the lockscreen.The speed boost is the most intriguing change and is down to the upcoming One UI 7 software Samsung is expected to unveil alongside the new S25 range. Its one of the benefits of electronic goods that with improved software, hardware can get better with age.In particular, among the benefits of the new software is a change that leads to a new unlock sound, according to regular leaker Ice Universe. The leaker describes the new lock and unlock sound as crisp, and notes theres a new sound to indicate the phone is charging.Thats mildly interesting, not more than that, but the bigger news is how that will impact the speed of unlocking the S24. In a separate post on X, Ice Universe says, Not only the sound is clearer, but also the fingerprint unlocking speed is extremely fast, which is faster than the previous version.That might not sound revolutionary, but think about it: some reports have claimed that we unlock our phones well over 100 times a day, with some estimates suggesting 300 plus is more accurate.Remember when you had to type in four or six digits or swipe a pattern every time? Fingerprint sensors made this faster, and under-the-display fingerprint sensors made unlocking more convenient.So if the fingerprint unlock is faster, thats a bonus. The video that accompanied the X post demonstrated the unlock on the display of a Samsung Galaxy S24 using beta software, so unless theres a remarkable change, that speed bonus is definitely coming to Samsungs 2024 phones.In the video, it looks more like a tap than a press, so quick is the response.Itll be far from the biggest upgrade in One UI 7, and some features will be exclusive to the phones waiting to be released, but its a neat extra.