Samsung released the S26 series with the One UI 8.5 update. While it has yet to be made available to other eligible devices, the company has reportedly started testing its successor, One UI 9, internally.
Hints of One UI 9 beta have been spotted
X user Kailash recently posted on X that he spotted the first beta build of One UI 9, which will be based on Android 17, on Samsung's test servers. The finding was later confirmed by a reliable tipster, Tarun Vats.
As you would expect, it is being tested on the latest S-series phones. The spotted firmware ends with the build numbers ZZE7 and BZE7. It is believed that these build numbers are related to the Galaxy S26 Plus and Galaxy S26 Ultra, respectively. The appearance of the upcoming One UI 9 update on Samsung's server essentially means that the tech giant is testing it internally before making it available in the public beta.
There's still some time before the first public One UI 9 beta release
Display of the Galaxy S25. | Image by PhoneArena
Since there are signs that the South Korean giant is internally testing the upcoming One UI build, you might think we are just days away from getting our hands on its first beta version. However, that might not be the case if the company decides to follow its usual release pattern.
As it turns out, the signs of the One UI 8.5 update being tested internally were first reported in November. Samsung then took almost a couple of weeks before releasing its first public beta.
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In fact, traces related to One UI 8 were discovered around the same time last year, with it moving to the beta phase a couple of weeks later. However, a major difference that time around was that One UI 7 was already available on most eligible devices even before signs of One UI 8 surfaced online. That isn't the case now, as One UI 8.5 has just been made available to the Galaxy S25 series, with no confirmation on when it will roll out to previous eligible models.
Anyway, going with the usual pattern, you can expect the first beta release of the next One UI update to happen sometime in the coming weeks.
Everything else we know about One UI 9
It's not the first time that news related to the One UI 9 update has surfaced online. The software is expected to bring some notable changes to the look of the Samsung Internet browser. Visual changes are also expected for the Now Bar, as well as the widgets on your Samsung smartphone.
Since the One UI 8.5 update is now finally available for the Galaxy S25 series in the stable build, I am really looking forward to its successor. All the details that have surfaced about it so far are making me excited for it.
As mentioned earlier, the One UI 9 update will be based on Android 17, which is also currently in the beta phase. However, Google may reveal details about the upcoming operating system at its upcoming I/O event, scheduled for May 12.
All that said, the beta program for the One UI 9 update could start within the next couple of weeks. I believe the end of May or the beginning of June could be when it kicks off. As is the case every time, it will be available in many countries, which include South Korea, Germany, India, the US, the UK, and Poland.
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Aman Kumar is a tech news writer with a long-standing passion for smartphones. Aman specializes in everything smartphones, from AI features like Pixel’s Camera Coach to understanding ideal hardware combinations. He loves breaking down complex features in a simple, clear way and hopes manufacturers bring back bold designs like the Nokia N-Gage. When he’s not writing, he’s either gaming on PUBG or talking fitness as a dedicated gym enthusiast.
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