After leading the way among the world's top Android smartphone vendors in terms of quick, stable, and expansive software updates the last few years, Samsung unquestionably dropped the ball with the One UI 7 rollout, which started many months behind schedule and ran into a host of different issues on a number of different devices.
But because this is a company that tends to learn from its mistakes, it perhaps shouldn't come as a shock that the One UI 8 update will be an entirely different story, at least if Samsung's current plans don't get derailed by any unexpected bugs.
One more reason to look forward to this summer's Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7
In line with speculation from a while back, the Android 16-based One UI 8 version is now officially slated to "debut on Samsung's newest foldables this summer."
Said next-gen foldable devices are not officially named yet, but everyone knows we're talking about the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 here, and a first-of-a-kind budget-friendly Z Flip FE (or Flip Xe) could join the two predictable sequels to the Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6 at an Unpacked event in July.
This is allegedly the next-gen Z Fold 7 in the flesh. | Image Credit -- Setsuna Digital on Weibo
Of course, we don't have an exact date for that Unpacked shindig either, but it's pretty clear that Samsung's 2025 foldables will run the latest One UI iteration a lot earlier than usual.
The aforementioned Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6, mind you, barely received their Android 15-based One UI 7 goodie packs last month (after a couple of failed attempts), while the summer 2023-released Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5 joined the stable One UI 6 party more than three months after their commercial debut.
Clearly, Samsung is looking to turn the page to an exciting new chapter from a software support standpoint, doing something that has never been done before and many thought was impossible to do. Obviously, this wouldn't have been possible without Google, and the industry-leading smartphone maker is giving credit where credit is due, praising the search giant for its great partnership, "open communication", and "real-time feedback."
This all allowed Samsung to kick off an unusually early One UI 8 public beta program for Galaxy S25, S25 Plus, and S25 Ultra users in Germany, Korea, the UK, and the US today, with the next step taking place "this summer" for the company's aforementioned new foldables, likely followed by a stable global update for the S25 family.
Will the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Z Fold 7 sell like hotcakes because of this?
Probably not. Sorry, Samsung, but your foldable sales struggles look far too serious to be fixed with new software... that's likely to quickly expand to the Z Flip 6 and Z Fold 6 anyway.
Fortunately, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is widely expected to increase the size of its predecessor's 7.6 and 6.3-inch screens (most likely, to around 8.2 and 6.5 inches respectively) while also upgrading the primary rear-facing camera from 50 to 200 megapixels.
The Galaxy Z Flip 7 will likely rock an all-screen cover design.
The Galaxy Z Flip 7, meanwhile, should ditch its own predecessor's sleek but small 3.4-inch folder-style cover display in favor of a larger and more straightforward 4-inch secondary panel while slightly bumping up the sizes of the main screen and battery as well.
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On top of everything, the raw power will naturally be improved too, not to mention the Z Fold 7's reduced thickness and the Z Flip 7's familiar but undeniably stylish design. All in all, of course, it remains hard to predict how the two flexible Snapdragon 8 Elite powerhouses will do at the global box-office, but running a fresh new set of silky smooth software optimizations and UI treats certainly won't hurt their sales figures.
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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