Samsung Expands One UI 8 Beta Program and Announces Update Release Timeline

Samsung has announced the expansion of its One UI 8 beta program, which is based on Android 16, to include additional Galaxy devices. The company has also revealed the anticipated timeline for the official rollout of the update for devices such as the Galaxy S25.

The beta program will begin next week and will be available for various models, including the Galaxy S25 series, Galaxy S24 series, Galaxy Z Fold 6, and Galaxy Z Flip 6. However, the beta version will not be available in Germany despite the fact that the Galaxy S25 is set to receive the pre-release version locally. Samsung has indicated that users in India, Korea, the UK, and the USA will have access to the beta.

Additionally, Samsung plans to extend the beta program to more devices in September. This expansion will include the Galaxy S23 series, as well as the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5. Even mid-range models such as the Galaxy A36 5G, A55 5G, A35 5G, and A54 will be included in the beta rollout.

In September, while some models from the A series will receive the beta version, the final version of One UI 8 is expected to begin rolling out. The Galaxy S25 series is likely to receive this update first, while the current Galaxy Z Fold 7 series has already been launched with the latest One UI version pre-installed.

Samsung has stated that One UI 8 will incorporate features such as multimodal intelligence, which enhances the system's ability to understand context in real-time, making daily interactions more intuitive and efficient. The update is also set to enhance previously introduced features like the Now Bar and Now Brief, offering users more personalized insights and suggestions. The anticipated live update functionality recently announced by Google is also expected to be integrated.

Moreover, Samsung has hinted at the release of the One UI 8 Watch update for additional Galaxy Watch models later this year. Currently, this update is only available on the latest Galaxy Watch 8 series. Samsung claims that One UI 8 Watch will include motivating health features along with a refined, intuitive user interface, thus expanding its reach to a larger audience of Galaxy users. Recent updates have also brought the sleep apnea detection feature to Galaxy Watch 4 and newer models.