In the specifications of the young, but rapidly gaining popularity brand Realme, owned by BBK Electronics, in addition to the Android version, there is often a mention of a certain Realme UI.
People who are more or less sophisticated understand that this is a branded shell or launcher, and for everyone else – our article.
Shell is not an operating system
On the one hand, it may seem different, because, with stock Android, such launchers have little in common both in appearance and in functionality.
And, nevertheless, such firmware, including Realme UI, is not a separate OS – they all belong to the corresponding platform created by Google.
For the user, this means that any apps available for stock Android will go on such branded builds as well.
The exception is special cases, for example, the services of the “corporation of kindness” prohibited for use on Huawei/ Honor smartphones, or the application of the Samsung Pay payment system, tied to the brand’s models.
What is the difference from the “pure” Android
First of all, it is the interface. Not only the style of design but also the principle of operation.
For example, by default in Realme UI, there is a desktop of the “drawer” type, on which the owner takes out all the icons he needs, and access to the main menu of the OS is carried out through a swipe, in fact resembling an opening box.
At the same time, the shell provides several more themes, including close to the standard, so that the user can choose the optimal one for himself.
The company also took care of a rich collection of live wallpapers. In addition, the desktop has several options for flipping animations.
By moving the display to the right, you can open a menu called “Smart Assistant”, which is a customizable quick access toolbar.
Through the “Convenience” menu, you can configure various options for controlling the smartphone using buttons or gestures, as well as configure some elements like a “convenient button” that opens the window of recent applications or the division of the display.
On it, you can place, for example, a weather widget, quick contacts, an organizer, and if there is no need for it, disable it through the settings.
If we talk about additional functionality, then it is not rich. Unlike, for example, the overloaded one UI or, say, EMUI, there are not so many changes here.
The ability to record calls from selected or any numbers deserves the greatest attention. For many brands, this is generally a sore subject due to the legislative restrictions of several countries. Recorded conversations are saved in the “Voice Recorder” section.
It is worth noting the dark mode. No, in itself, it has long been an indispensable part of even stock Android, but in Realme UI there are as many as three “submodes”, more precisely, styles – “Improved”, “Medium” and “Low”, each of which has its own set of settings.
Interesting is the so-called “Focus Mode”, which allows you to detach yourself from the surrounding reality, without fear of being disturbed by a call or message.
To help you concentrate, the device plays relaxing music when activated.
Is Realme UI a Clone of Color OS?
The issue is quite controversial. Unlike the pair of EMUI / Magic UI, in which the design differs mainly, there are several differences in the functionality.
For example, oppo smartphones cannot lock the device with a double-tap. In addition, Realme UI has an additional performance mode that is absent in the “parent” brand.
However, Color OS was used as the source material for creating the shell – no one developed it from scratch. And until mid-2020, it was installed on Realme devices.
In conclusion
This could not but leave its mark on the very concept of Realme UI.
After all, in this country, as nowhere else, with the possible exception of Africa (where another large Chinese company, Transsion Holdings with its Tecno and Itel brands), there are many inexperienced users.
As a result, Realme UI in comparison with competitors looks very simplified. But there are no problems inherent in it. The launcher is fast, not annoying with advertising, and with a minimum of bugs.
For a novice owner of a smartphone – a pretty good choice.