Samsung might have only started the wider rollout of the stable One UI 7 update, but it has not limited the development of future versions. We already know the company will not be rolling out a One UI 7.1.1 build, and they are already working on One UI 8. Meanwhile, work has started on One UI 8.5, a return of a point upgrade, but we are still months away from a possible release.
Samsung took time to develop One UI 7 due to all the changes that are coming with the build. That probably led to the cancellation of the One UI 7.1.1 upgrade, but it’s likely to return with the launch of the Galaxy S26. The series will arrive in January, so there’s still time for the development and possibly release.
What we know about One UI 8.5
Samsung has not commented on the report and we do not expect anything from them. Nevertheless, we understand they are working on One UI 8.5 to debut with the Galaxy S26 series. According to ICE Universe, the plan is to align One UI X with the latest Android build for its newest Foldables and One UI X.5 for its flagship S series.
That looks like the deal since reports of Samsung debuting the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip7 with Android 16-based One UI 8. The duo will arrive in July, a few weeks after the official release by Google. If that’s the case, moving forward, the latest S-series flagships will debut with a new One UI build, the same with Foldables, but only the latter will come with a new Android OS.
Features of One UI 8.5
With AI beginning to dominate smartphone features, One UI 8.5 will be expanding on that. We understand Samsung will introduce more Artificial intelligence with the build, but we do not know for sure what they will be. It’s still early to say as the company has not even finalized the development of One UI 8.
It’s fair to say that One UI 8.5 is still in early development and no features of the build are known yet. We believe after the release of Android 16, which it will be based on, we will get to know more. Of course, that will arrive on Samsung phones with One UI 8, expected to come pre-installed on the Galaxy Z Fold7 and Galaxy Z Flip7.
When is One UI 8.5 rolling out?
If the reports are true, we expect Android 16-based One UI 8.5 to debut in January. The Galaxy S25 arrived pre-installed with Android 15-based One UI 7, and we expect the Galaxy S26 to debut with One UI 8.5. Hence, we expect One UI 8.5 to arrive in January 2026, though it might take a few weeks after that to arrive on other eligible phones.
source: SammyPolice
