Samsung’s latest flagships weren’t just the first few devices to run One UI 8, they’ll also be the first ones to gain access to the subsequent “.5” version. Although that statement remains true, said devices might have to wait just a little bit longer than initially anticipated to try out the new beta update.
The major software update, which was initially expected to begin landing late in November, now seems to have hit a snag.
For what it’s worth, that November timeline would only have been applicable to the South Korean tech giant’s flagship Galaxy S25 series. However, according to reliable tipster Tarun Vats on X, via Android Authority, the flagship, too, is out of luck.
What’s behind the holdup? You may ask. It’s the upcoming Galaxy S26 lineup.
If you’re a regular Android Police reader, you’d know that Samsung initially intended to significantly shake up the Galaxy S26 series by scrapping the Galaxy S26 Plus and replacing it with a ‘Galaxy S26 Edge.’ The tech giant has now reportedly walked back on this decision. Similarly, the tech giant wanted to rename the standard Galaxy S26 to the Galaxy S26 Pro. This decision, too, has since reportedly been scrapped.
All this internal shuffling of arguably the most important series for Samsung has, reportedly and predictably, delayed the Galaxy S26 lineup. The software that is expected to accompany the new devices seems to be taking an involuntary hit too, which is in turn delaying the software’s beta program.
The severity of the delay isn’t immediately clear. Vats suggests that the beta rollout could begin in December or January. Regardless, the delay shouldn’t be as severe as the South Korean tech giant’s One UI 7 delay, and if we were able to get through that, we should be able to get through this delay just fine, especially since many users have just recently received the stable One UI 8 update on their devices.
It’s worth noting that all these ‘delay’ talks are just speculation. Samsung hasn’t officially shared a One UI 8.5 beta timeline.