Samsung is expected to release the One UI 8.5 software with the Galaxy S26 series early next year. However, leaks from early builds have left little to the imagination in terms of feature additions and visual enhancements.
Unfortunately, these early builds aren’t yet accessible to everyone, with only a select few users able to test-run the software. We know that the company will officially announce the One UI 8.5 beta program for its flagship phones imminently, but we don’t know when. That’s changing now, with a leak offering details on a potential release date for the first One UI 8.5 beta.
Exclusive reporting by SamMobile suggests that Samsung may flip the switch on the One UI 8.5 beta program by late November, potentially “during the week beginning November 24.” By comparison, Samsung opened the One UI 7 public beta in December 2024 following a long wait, with the stable rollout occurring in April.
Samsung changed things up with the next major software release by releasing the first One UI 8 beta in May, while the stable version landed last month. There’s still no information available on the devices that will be eligible for One UI 8.5, as well as the regions where it will be available.
Will older Galaxy flagships get the One UI 8.5 beta on time?
It’s safe to assume that practically any device that runs the Android 16-based One UI 8.0 software will be eligible for the One UI 8.5 beta. Devices like the Galaxy S25 series and the recently launched Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 should be at the top of the list of eligible devices.
We must also note that owners of the 2024 Samsung flagships had to wait nearly three months before they could get their hands on the One UI 8 beta. We can only hope that Samsung won’t follow the same pattern with the upcoming One UI beta.
If the recent series of One UI 8.5 leaks is anything to go by, the software is poised to be a much bigger upgrade over One UI 8. It will be based on Android 16 QPR2, thereby giving Galaxy owners access to the latest Android release of the day. We got a closer look at the changes in the new software thanks to a recently leaked hands-on video.