One UI 8.5 arrives on the Galaxy S25 Ultra. | Image by PhoneArena
Samsung is letting Galaxy phone owners experience some of the best Galaxy S26 features with its much-anticipated UI 8.5 stable rollout. The update was first released for the Galaxy S25 series on May 6, but the global rollout began on May 11.
More devices follow
Just like the tech giant announced last week, the Galaxy S25 was the first but not the only lineup to receive the stable firmware. Renowned X leaker Tarun Vats has also spotted the update for the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and the Z Flip 7.
Galaxy Z Fold7: Samsung has started rolling out One UI 8.5 Stable for beta users in India.
The firmware version of the latest build for these devices is F966BXXU9BZDP and it's 617.72MB. It should be noted that users who have been enrolled in the Beta program are the first ones to receive the update.
How is your One UI 8.5 experience so far?
Older models get it earlier than expected
Launching the latest stable builds for last year's flagship phones is sensible. But Samsung didn't stop there. Tarun Vats shared some unexpected development that Galaxy S24 owners should know about: a stable firmware update is coming for them as well. The Galaxy S24 FE is also reportedly in the mix.
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Unexpected
Samsung has started rolling out the One UI 8.5 Stable update for Galaxy S24 Series Beta users in Korea
The leaker claims the firmware version is already downloadable for users in Korea. This suggests global fans might have to wait a few days (up to a week) to see it on their phones.
As for Galaxy S23 users, they may have to wait a bit longer. Since the lineup wasn't part of Samsung's official rollout announcement, it might only arrive once the latest firmware arrives on all newer devices.
So far, we know few details of the new software and its possible features. Early reports indicated the Samsung browser could feature a special 'Ask AI' button, which transforms the app from a simple 'gateway' to the internet into a proactive assistant for any page you're on.
The Galaxy S26 users might soon get to test One UI 9. | Image by PhoneArena
Following Samsung's release strategy, the One UI 9 should be officially announced with the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Z Flip 8 sometime this summer. However, a Beta release might be launched for the Galaxy S26 series very soon.
Is it all rainbows and sunshine?
With the One UI 8.5 rollout, Galaxy phone users now get AirDrop functionality, Call Screening, and various other features that were previously reserved for the S26 lineup and beta testers.
However, some users have already noticed a few minor issues after updating. Some failed to transfer files through AirDrop until their devices were rebooted, while others noticed occasional animation lag on their Galaxy S25.
For now, such reports appear to be fairly limited, so it's still too early to determine whether these are isolated rollout hiccups or signs of stability problems.
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Polina Kovalakova, a News and Affiliate Content Writer, has nurtured a passion for mobile technology since the era before smartphones. With a history of exploring a variety of devices, her insights into the mobile world are both broad and nuanced. Polina's non-partisan view extends to appreciating nearly every smartphone brand, a reflection of her open-minded approach to technology. Polina is equally passionate about uncovering the best online deals, tirelessly working to ensure her readers snag top-tier tech at unbeatable prices.
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