Samsung opens One UI 8 Beta program for current flagships as it reveals foldable release plans ahead of schedule
Samsung has kicked off the next stage of its mobile software development after rolling out One UI 7 earlier this year. Announced across a series of press releases, the company has confirmed that One UI 8 is now available to try in beta form based on Android 16 ahead of its full release this summer.
As always, Samsung has started its latest beta cycle with a fairly limited release. On the one hand, it has restricted the first beta's rollout to the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25 Plus and the Galaxy S25 Ultra (curr. $1,049.99 on Amazon). On the other hand, only devices sold across Germany, South Korea, the UK and the US can participate in the One UI 8 Beta program at this stage.
In short, Samsung hopes to distinguish One UI 8 from One UI 7 by making 'your everyday smarter and more convenient'. For the time being, the company has limited this to its 'Now Bar' and 'Now Brief' features, whose suggestions Samsung will be expanding with its latest OS release. On top of that, One UI 8 will introduce a revised Reminders app, a faster Quick Share experience and full Bluetooth Auracast support, among other changes.
While One UI 8 Beta has arrived first on the Galaxy S25 series, these flagships will not be the first to showcase Samsung's future stable release. Instead, the company has confirmed that One UI 8 will first ship this summer on its 'newest foldables'. Based on recent rumours, Samsung will restrict its summer foldable launch event to the Galaxy Z Fold7 and Galaxy Z Flip7, with the Galaxy Z Flip FE and Galaxy G Fold 'tri-fold' arriving towards the end of the year.
