One of the main features that sets Samsung’s Galaxy phones and tablets apart is its One UI. Now that One UI 7 is available to customers, focus is turning to OneUI 8, the upcoming chapter. Exciting new features will be available for Samsung handsets with the next software update, which is based on Android 16.
The release date, the beta testing program, which devices will receive OneUI 8 in accordance with Samsung’s update policy, and the implications for Galaxy users will all be covered in this article.
Samsung’s major One UI releases have historically coincided with the yearly cycle of Android updates, usually occurring in the fourth quarter, around October or November, after Google’s stable Android release. One UI 6, for example, made its debut on October 30, 2023, and One UI 7, which was much later, appeared on April 7, 2025. But OneUI 8 is totally deviating from this trend.
At Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked event on July 9, 2025, the Android 16-based One UI 8 was formally unveiled. Arriving in July, months ahead of Samsung’s customary fall upgrade timetable, the company successfully met its ambitious summer 2025 stable release timeline.
According to Samsung, the update will be progressively made available to additional Galaxy devices that are compatible, guaranteeing a wider distribution within its ecosystem.
In mid-August 2025, the Galaxy S25 series has the best probability of receiving the stable One UI 8 update for current devices. With a staggered deployment to guarantee stability, the update for additional devices, like as the Galaxy S24, S23, and previous foldables, is probably going to begin in late August 2025.
Beginning with the Galaxy S25, S25+, and S25 Ultra in Germany, Korea, the UK, and the US, Samsung formally began the OneUI 8 beta program on May 28, 2025. India and Poland are now part of the Beta program.
Through the Samsung Members app, users of the Galaxy S25, S25+, and S25 Ultra can apply to install the One UI 8 beta by following the revised sign-up procedure that Samsung has announced. With Beta 1 launching on May 28, Beta 2 on June 12, and Beta 3 on June 30, 2025, Samsung launched the beta program without making any significant formal announcements.
As is customary for Samsung, the beta program began with flagship devices. Samsung has expanded the One UI 8 Beta 3 program to include the Galaxy Watch 7 and Ultra after successfully launching it for the Galaxy S25 series. According to the Samsung Korea Moderator, the fourth beta build has been confirmed and will be available next week.
We can use Samsung’s official software update policy to determine which devices are assured of receiving the upgrade, even though the company hasn’t formally confirmed the OneUI 8 device list. Along with five years of security updates for certain models, Samsung now provides up to seven years of operating system upgrades for some flagship handsets (beginning with the Galaxy S24 series) and four years for others. The following devices are unquestionably qualified for OneUI 8 based on this guideline and the verified OneUI 7 rollout:
The four-year policy may also apply to mid-range devices such as the Galaxy A55 and A35. The Galaxy S21 series and other older devices might not be able to use OneUI 8 since their four-year support might expire before it does.
OneUI 8’s release coincided perfectly with the July 9, 2025, release of Samsung’s new foldables, the Galaxy Z Fold7, Z Flip7, and Z Flip7 FE. OneUI 8, based on Android 16, comes preinstalled on these devices. Samsung made a big shift with this, releasing a big update far earlier than many had anticipated.
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Robert Haba is the founder and editor-in-chief of Droid Tools. A lifelong gadget enthusiast with over a decade following the Android ecosystem, he built this publication to cut through the noise and give readers honest, real-world coverage of the tech they actually use.
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