Samsung is unexpectedly bringing the Galaxy S25 series, Z Fold 7, and Z Flip 7 up to date
A (partial) South Korean One UI 9 rollout is obviously not a global update, but it is an important first step in the right direction for these 2025-released Samsung high-enders.
It's safe to say that the stable One UI 9 rollout hasn't gone very well in its first couple of weeks after the official completion of Samsung's public beta program, but it sure looks like the world's top smartphone vendor is trying to turn over a new leaf today.
The Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 are finally STARTING to catch up to the Z Fold 8 and Z Flip 8 from a software standpoint. | Image by PhoneArena
Because of that, the goodie packs that are making their way over the air as we speak only tip the scales at around 500MB, compared to the multi-gigabyte updates most Galaxy S25 series, Z Fold 7, and Z Flip 7 owners are likely to receive... sooner or later.
When should you expect your phone to be upgraded in other countries?
Unfortunately, my answer to that question is nowhere near as optimistic as the answer to a similar question for the Galaxy S26 family less than two weeks ago. And the reason is precisely the S26 trio, which hasn't scored official One UI 9 add-ons and performance enhancements anywhere besides South Korea and the US just yet.
Poll
1025 Votes
What do you think of Samsung's One UI 9 rollout so far?
It's a disaster.
23.90%
It's a little messy, but it could be worse.
30.34%
It's not that bad.
23.90%
It's actually pretty great.
21.85%
Perhaps my biggest concern is that Samsung hasn't addressed that delay in any way and is basically acting like everything is going according to plan, which is very obviously not the case. The original "plan", for instance, was for the Galaxy S25 trio and Galaxy Z7 duo to follow the lead of the S26, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultratoday in Thailand, and while it might seem that's still possible, you have to remember the nation's S26 series hasn't been upgraded to One UI 9 for the time being.
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In short, if I were to make a prediction right now, I'd expect the S26 family's One UI 9 rollout to finally go global today, while the S25 lineup, Z Fold 7, and Z Flip 7 could be kept waiting until the end of the week or even the beginning of next week. But those are only (semi) educated guesses on my part, mind you, and they should be treated accordingly.
What is One UI 9 all about?
As you may or may not know, the newest version of Samsung's proprietary Android skin made its stable debut on the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Z Fold 8 Ultra, and Z Flip 8 back when the three new foldables were commercially released in late July.
Now Nudge is one of the most helpful new Galaxy AI-powered tools baked into One UI 9. | Image by Samsung
That was in part because One UI 9 brought a number of foldable-specific new features and user experience improvements to the table, and now these add-ons are starting to slowly make their way to the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 as well.
Of course, the Galaxy S25 family is reaping quite a few benefits from this update as well, starting with a bunch of Galaxy AI tweaks and ending with several key security enhancements. All in all, I do have to point out that many beta testers have declared themselves underwhelmed with the changes included in One UI 9... and yet everyone seems to be eager to receive the final update sooner rather than later.
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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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