One UI 8: Samsung extends beta program and names release date for update
Samsung is expanding the One UI 8 beta program based on Android 16. The company also reveals when the final update will land on the Galaxy S25 and other devices.
Samsung extends the One UI 8 beta program to other Galaxy devices – but not for Germany.
(Image: Steffen Herget / heise medien)
Samsung plans to begin expanding the beta program for the One UI 8 update to more Galaxy devices over the course of the coming week. In addition to the Galaxy S25 series, it will be available for the Galaxy S24 series, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6. For some unknown reason, however, the company is not offering the beta for the other devices for the German market, although Samsung is providing the pre-release version for the Galaxy S25 in this country.
As Samsung explains, owners of the devices mentioned are only allowed to try out the beta in India, Korea, the UK, and the USA. The beta program will also be extended to other devices in September. In addition to the Galaxy S23 series, the Z Fold 5 and Flip 5, the manufacturer is also including mid-range models such as the Galaxy A36 5G, A55 5G, A35 5G, and A54 in the beta.
One UI 8 for Galaxy S25 in September
While some models in the A-series will first be supplied with the beta in September, the rollout of the final version for other devices – is also scheduled to begin in the same month, presumably initially for the Galaxy S25 series, apart from the current Fold 7 series. Both the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and the Galaxy Z Flip 7 were introduced with the new One UI version ex works at the beginning of July.
According to Samsung, the new One UI version contains, among other things, “multimodal intelligence to understand context in real time and make everyday interactions smarter and more convenient”. Samsung also promises that the functions introduced with One UI 7, such as Now Bar and Now Brief, will display “more personalized insights and suggestions”. Among other things, users can expect the live update function announced by Google.
One UI 8 Watch for other Galaxy Watch models
Samsung also holds out the prospect that the smartwatch update to One UI 8 Watch will land on other Galaxy Watch models later this year. So far, it has only been pre-installed on the latest watches in the Galaxy Watch 8 series, which, like the 7th generation Foldables, were presented at the beginning of July.
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According to the company, One UI 8 Watch contains “motivating health functions and a refined, intuitive user interface for an even wider range of Galaxy users”. Independently of One UI 8 Watch, Samsung's older watch models had only recently received an update with which the sleep apnea detection for Galaxy Watch 4 and newer announced at the beginning of June was delivered.
(afl)
