What’s happened? Samsung has kick-started the One UI 8.5 beta program for the Galaxy S25 series, giving users a chance to experience its next big software update ahead of the stable release early next year.
- In a blog post, the company has outlined some of the changes included in the release, like upgrades for the Photo Assist feature, enhancements for Quick Share, device connectivity improvements, and more.
- One UI 8.5 will also bring a new Storage Share feature that will allow users to access files from other Samsung devices using the My Files app.
- In addition, Samsung has highlighted new theft protection features coming to Galaxy devices with the update, like Failed Authentication Lock and Identity check.
Why is this important? The One UI 8.5 beta program will give Galaxy S25 users a chance to experience upcoming features.
- It will also allow Samsung to gather feedback from beta testers to improve upcoming features and iron out any bugs before the update hits the stable channel.
- The beta release indicates that Samsung is on track to roll out One UI 8.5 to older devices shortly after it unveils the Galaxy S26 series early next year.
Why should I care? If you own a Galaxy S25 series device and are eagerly waiting for the next big One UI update, this beta program allows you to try out the new features before the wider release next year.
- In addition to the features highlighted in Samsung’s announcement post, the update is expected to include the features Google introduced with Android 16 QPR2.
- One UI 8.5 will also introduce a significant visual redesign, with refreshed app icons and transparent UI elements similar to the latest iOS and Android releases.
What’s next? The One UI 8.5 beta program is currently limited to the Galaxy S25 series in select regions. Users in Germany, India, South Korea, Poland, the UK, and the US can enroll in the program via the Samsung Members app by tapping the beta program banner at the top. After signing up, users can download the beta build by navigating to Settings > Software Update > Download and Install.