Samsung sticks to a 5,000mAh battery on the Galaxy S26 Ultra and avoids Silicon Carbon technology’s adoption, but the Galaxy S27 Ultra may flip the script.

The industry has been obsessed with capacity numbers for too long. Bigger cells, thicker phones, yet marginal gains. Silicon Carbon changes that dynamic; it shifts the focus to energy density, efficiency, and smarter packaging.

Engineering documents suggest Samsung SDI has been actively testing Silicon Carbon based cells. The data points referenced include stack thickness targets, dual cell configurations, and cycle failure logs, via schrodingerintel.

One leaked configuration outlines a dual cell system combining a roughly 6,800mAh unit with a secondary 5,200mAh cell, both fitting within a sub 9.3mm stack.

Meanwhile, prototype Silicon Carbon cells are reportedly failing at around 960 charge cycles. That is well below Samsung’s commercial target of 1,500 cycles.

Teams are said to be iterating on separator materials, revising stacking architecture, and tuning battery management algorithms to stabilize degradation.

Around the Galaxy S26 launch window, Samsung’s own R&D leadership reportedly acknowledged internally that the company is behind on battery innovation.

If these targets are met, the Galaxy S27 Ultra is shaping up as the logical deployment model. Post Note 7, Samsung does not gamble on batteries, but the equation is now different.

If Samsung clears the 1,500 cycle barrier and locks down thermal stability, the Galaxy S27 Ultra will not just be another spec bump; it will represent the pivot.

Samsung has recently launched the Galaxy S26 series and the S27 lineup may arrive sometime in February 2027. The information is based on rumors swirling in supply chain, which can’t be considered final for the device.

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On April 20, during a high-profile luncheon hosted by Narendra Modi, Samsung chief Lee Jae-yong pulled out a Galaxy Z Flip 7 and captured a selfie with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and the Indian Prime Minister.

This was not just another diplomatic photo-op. The device in Chairman Lee’s hand was a Galaxy Z Flip 7 produced in Samsung’s Noida facility. Samsung has been building (not just assembling) phones in India since 1996.

The product itself fits the narrative.

The Galaxy Z Flip 7 is not just another Samsung smartphone. It is Samsung’s statement category. Foldables are where the company still leads, still pushes boundaries, still defines the conversation while others chase.

President Lee Jae-myung has had a complicated relationship with smartphones in public optics. Not long ago, he drew heat back home after using a Xiaomi phone, reportedly a gift from Xi Jinping, for a selfie.

It sparked criticism, questions, and a broader debate about national tech pride. He course-corrected fast: his recent selfie diplomacy with Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni signaled a shift to prioritizing Samsung.

4/20(월) 이재명 대통령 인도 국빈방문 계기에 개최된 모디 총리 주최 오찬에 참석한 이재용 회장은 이재명 대통령 및 모디 총리와 함께 셀카를 찍었다. 이회장은 인도 노이다 공장에서 생산한 플립7으로 셀카를 촬영하였다.
삼성은 96년부터 노이다에서 휴대폰을 생산하고 있으며, 폴더블을 포함한… pic.twitter.com/JnFNgxbon1

— 삼성전자 뉴스룸 (@SamsungNewsroom) April 20, 2026

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Samsung’s One UI 8.5 Beta 3 update for the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6 introduces new AI tools and everyday fixes that users will actually notice.

One UI 8.5 officially debuted with the Galaxy S26 series earlier this year. Samsung has provided the final Beta update to the Galaxy S25 series. Now, the Stable rollout is being planned, with the distribution beginning on April 30.

Users of the Galaxy S25 series are first in line to have the Stable update. May 4 would mark the first expansion, covering S25 models outside Korea. We may see May filled with One UI 8.5 rollouts for a plethora of Galaxy devices.

2024 foldables get a new One UI 8.5 Beta

The highlight is the addition of AI features like Call Screening, Photo Assist with text prompts, Creative Studio, and Audio Eraser that can reduce background noise in real time across apps like YouTube and Instagram.

In addition, Samsung has cleaned up a few annoying bugs.

The screen flicker when hitting the back key is gone, the lock screen clock now stays in the right place, and the taskbar issue has been sorted. Media playback should also sound better now, with less unwanted noise.

Earlier, the South Korean tech giant released the fourth Beta for the Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7. Additionally, slab-type phones, including the S25 series, S24 series, and S25 FE, have also received a feature-rich firmware update.

The ZZDD software is available for download in South Korea. It should soon be available in more countries where Samsung brought the Beta. You can get it through Settings > Software update > Download and install.

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Samsung’s now releasing One UI 8.5 Beta 4 to the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7, with the firmware featuring new AI features from the latest flagships along with fixes for some specific problems reported by Beta testers.

Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 users on One UI 8.5 Beta can now download Beta 4, which can be identified via PDA build version ZZDD (via TarunVats). This release feels more like a refinement update than a major feature drop.

The highlight is a fresh set of AI tools.

You now get Call Screening to filter unknown callers, Photo Assist that lets you edit images using simple text prompts, Creative Studio for more advanced content tweaks, and an upgraded Audio Eraser that can remove background noise in real time.

These aren’t entirely new if you’ve been following the Galaxy S25 Beta program, but it’s good to see them expanding to foldables.

It also focuses heavily on fixing annoyances.

Samsung has addressed a slow upload issue that showed up when retaking scans in the Camera’s Add Scan feature. Routines that weren’t triggering properly should now behave as expected.

The Now Bar color glitch, where it changed every time you turned on the screen, has also been fixed. Automatic language detection is working again, and a crash affecting the Settings Intelligence service has been resolved.

If you’ve already seen the Galaxy S25 series getting its 10th beta with similar changes, this rollout puts Samsung’s foldables more or less in sync.

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Galaxy S26’s best AI features are now rolling out to the Galaxy S24 series and Galaxy S25 FE as part of the 3rd One UI 8.5 Beta update.

Samsung’s latest One UI 8.5 Beta ZZD8 update isn’t flashy, but it focuses on cleaning up a bunch of annoying day-to-day issues while quietly adding a few new AI features.

Owners of the Galaxy S24 series are getting the 3rd Beta update in Korea and India (via TarunVats), whereas the Galaxy S25 FE users are receiving it in Korea. An expansion will follow soon, covering Beta participants in Global markets.

On the AI side, Samsung is clearly expanding its toolkit.

You now get Call Screening, which helps filter unknown calls more intelligently. Photo Assist has been upgraded with text prompt input, letting you tweak images in a more flexible, almost generative way.

There’s also Creative Studio, aimed at giving users more control over content creation, and an Enhanced Audio Eraser that can reduce background noise in real time across apps like YouTube, Instagram, and Netflix.

Samsung is also tightening up the core experience.

Incoming call delays and black screen issues have been fixed, and the proximity sensor during calls should now behave more reliably. Camera bugs, especially the green line issue in 4K HDR recording on third-party apps, have also been addressed.

Bluetooth stability has been improved, and there’s a fix for multi-touch glitches that could show up after using accessibility zoom features.

The fact that the same changelog is now showing up on the Galaxy S25 series with its 10th Beta suggests the company is getting serious about polishing things before a stable rollout.

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New EU rules, including removable battery design, coming into effect from 2027, could become a massive headache for Samsung’s Galaxy S27 development team.

Samsung’s Galaxy S27 might not be defined by its camera or chipset. It could be defined by a door on the back. That is the uncomfortable reality facing Samsung’s internal design cycles right now.

The European Union’s battery regulation, approved by the EU Council on July 10, 2023, sets a hard deadline of 2027. By then, smartphones sold in the region must feature user-replaceable batteries.

For Samsung, this is not a minor tweak. It is a full reset.

The modern Galaxy S lineup is built on a sealed body design. Glass on front, glass on back, tightly packed internals, aggressive adhesive, and structural rigidity that helps achieve IP68 ratings.

That entire philosophy clashes with removable battery requirements. Galaxy phones can not have easy access and perfect sealing at the same time without compromise.

Samsung’s engineers may have been facing a brutal trade-off. Either redesign the chassis to allow tool-less battery access or attempt a complex modular workaround that preserves some level of water resistance.

Consumers associate sealed designs with high-end craftsmanship. Reversing that perception will not be easy, even if the change is driven by regulation.

Going back to removable covers feels like a step backward. Samsung would need to rethink component layout, battery housing, sealing methods, and even retail logistics.

The same regulation mandates up to 10 years of spare parts availability and service documentation. Devices are no longer meant to be replaced every three to four years.

Samsung could try region-specific designs, keeping sealed builds in markets without such regulations. More likely, the company will attempt a unified design that meets EU standards while preserving identity as much as possible.

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Samsung’s One UI 8.5 Beta 10 has finally arrived for Galaxy S25 users, bringing new AI features and plenty of bug fixes. It’s available to Beta participants in Germany, India, and South Korea, with Poland, the UK and the US joining shortly.

The One UI 8.5 Beta 10 (ZZDD) update for the Galaxy S25 series is a mix of meaningful AI upgrades and much-needed bug fixes. On the AI side, Samsung is clearly pulling features forward from its next-gen lineup.

You’re getting tools like Call Screening, which can automatically handle unknown callers, plus Creative Studio for generating and editing content more easily.

There’s also an upgraded Audio Eraser that does a better job cleaning background noise from recordings, and an improved Photo Assist that makes image edits smarter and more natural.

Additionally, this update quietly fixes some annoying issues. Incoming calls should now appear instantly instead of showing a delay or black screen. Call quality gets a boost, too, thanks to fixes for the proximity sensor acting up during calls.

Camera reliability has also been improved. If you were seeing green lines while recording 4K HDR video in certain third-party apps, that should now be resolved.

Samsung has also worked on stability across the board. Bluetooth crashes have been reduced, and a frustrating multi-touch issue that showed up after using accessibility zoom features has been fixed.

Overall, this update feels less about flashy changes and more about making the phone smarter with AI while quietly fixing the small things that affect daily use.

Get the Beta 10 now! Open Settings, then Software update and hit Download and install.

Samsung reportedly plans to begin the Stable One UI 8.5 rollout on April 30 in South Korea. Users outside the company’s home ground may start getting the official update starting May 4, if the OTA doesn’t encounter problems.

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Samsung has started rolling out the April 2026 security update to the Galaxy A56 smartphone. The company has already updated previous models, including the A53, A54, and A55, to the latest patch version.

Around three weeks ago, the phone received its recent update with March 2026 patches. Samsung categorized the Galaxy A56 for priority update support, promising monthly software releases; April 2026 version is the latest.

As spotted by TarunVats, the firmware is available in Europe, Galaxy A56’s BZD1 build will soon expand to Global markets. Meanwhile, Samsung could open One UI 8.5 Beta Program for the Galaxy A56 in select markets.

For now, users of Galaxy A56 can grab the April update through Settings > Software update > Download and install. It’s expanding in batches, so the availability may vary by model (CSC), region, and carrier.

April patch contains fixes for a total of forty-seven problems. The OTA targets CVE and SVE items across Android and One UI. Samsung’s semiconductor division is specifically bringing four patches, addressing Exynos CVEs.

Even though the latest update has nothing exciting, you should update the software. It improves the system stability and reliability, with performance also seeing an increase. This is due to background cleanup during the OTA installation.

Seamless Updates ensure you don’t get stuck on the Samsung logo window for long. Updates install quickly as extraction takes place when you’re online. Just a normal reboot applies the firmware, reinstating immediate access.

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Samsung boss Jay Y Lee was among a group of South Korea’s most powerful business leaders who left for India on April 19, joining President Lee Jae-myung on a high-stakes economic mission that also includes Vietnam.

The delegation is large, expectations are bigger, and outcomes tend to be negotiated behind closed doors. Before his departure to India, the Samsung boss kept his cards close; just a brief smile before heading to the gate.

The scale of the trip stands out

Around 200 delegates have been assembled by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry and and the Federation of Korean Industries. These are not symbolic visits; business forums, policy meetings, and MOU signings are already lined up across both countries.

Korea’s Samsung, LG and Hyundai run production hubs in the country. Samsung has built a deep footprint, from large-scale smartphone manufacturing to R&D operations that support both local and global markets.

President Lee landed in New Delhi on the same day, kicking off a tightly structured visit. For Samsung, the trip is not about announcements on day one. The real signals will come later, once negotiations settle and commitments take shape.

Related article:

• Samsung India shaped Galaxy S26’s biggest features

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Samsung walked away with four wins, including two Gold and two Silver at the US Edison Awards 2026, held April 15–16 in Fort Myers, Florida.

The Edison Awards, launched in 1987, are judged by industry experts and academics. Not every winner translates to market success, but they tend to signal where companies are placing bets.

Samsung lands 2 Gold, 2 Silver at US Edison Awards 2026

Gold awards went to Smart Modular House and Vision AI Companion, both centered on practical AI use, not demo-stage concepts. The Silver side is more hardware-driven, including commercial displays and washers/dryers.

Gold Award-Winning Innovations

1. Smart Modular House
2. Vision AI Companion (VAC)

Silver Award-Winning Innovations

1. Spatial Signage
2. Bespoke AI Laundry Combo

Mauro Porcini, Chief Design Officer at Samsung Electronics, framed the results around design, sitting between technology and user needs. In simpler terms, the company is trying to make its tech feel less like tech.

“Design sits at the intersection of business, technology and humanity,” said Mauro Porcini, Chief Design Officer and President of the Device eXperience (DX) Division at Samsung Electronics. “Our role is to understand people deeply and translate their needs, dreams and emotions into meaningful experiences. We will continue to push innovation forward with the ambition of enriching people’s lives in ways that truly matter.”

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I have seen countless reports of Samsung users over green line issue on Galaxy devices. Meanwhile, a recent incident is pretty much shocking as a 1-month-old Galaxy S26 Ultra allegedly became a victim of Samsung’s green line display problem.

Way back in 2022, we got green line as a built-in feature on our Galaxy Z Fold 4’s cover screen. Samsung then replaced the phone, but it has had a motherboard problem, and the repair costs have led it to become e-waste.

Our Galaxy Note 20 Ultra has also developed a green line, as well as the Galaxy S22 Ultra. The former is working with that vertical curse, but the problem worsened with the latter model due to the accumulation of display issues.

Now, I am seeing reports of Galaxy S23 Ultra users who are reporting a pink or green line issue on their devices after installing the recent software update. As always, users say there’s no physical or water damage, but the line has developed.

In search of more S23 complaints, I reached a viral post on X, showing a brand-new Galaxy S26 Ultra with a thick vertical green line. We can’t confirm the genuineness, but the user will surely get a display replacement if true.

Think you are spending $1,300 on an electronic device from a globally reputed brand. You spent such a huge amount of money for a top-notch experience, but what you are getting is a green line, which you could have gotten after two or three years.

Green Line issue now hits Galaxy S26 Ultrapic.twitter.com/b3Glv90GUR

— Samsung Software Update – One UI 9 #OneUI9 (@SamsungSWUpdate) April 20, 2026

The problem doesn’t seem limited to the Galaxy S23 phones, while the S26 Ultra is not a widespread problem. Users of Galaxy S21 FE and S22 Ultra report the problem at scale, and some of them get a free replacement from Samsung.

If you are facing a green line problem, the first step is to visit your nearest Samsung service center. Get your phone’s display replacement estimate and request a complimentary screen replacement, citing Samsung’s policy.

Service center staff may agree if they are aware of the green line policy. If they refuse, get the job sheet emailed to your ID and approach Samsung support. Claim quality issue, and they might offer a free screen replacement.

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Samsung just began the general rollout of a new Galaxy Enhance-X app update with One UI 8.5 redesign. The latest version splits the app’s interface, adds a Good Lock-like Plugins system, Documents Tools, and more.

Version 16.3.00.31 is giving One UI 8.5 Galaxy Enhance-X a noticeable refresh, centered around a redesigned interface split into three tabs: Plugins, Home, and History. Navigation feels more purposeful, with quicker access to tools and saved edits.

The new Plugins tab works like a mini marketplace, letting users install features such as Cinematic Glow and Film Style filters. Home brings everything together, including photo, video, and document tools in one place.

A useful change is the ability to edit multiple photos or videos in a single session, which should save time. There’s also a swipe-down section highlighting new features and updates directly inside the app.

Samsung is also pushing deeper into document editing. Users can now enhance scans, crop them, add annotations, translate content, and convert files into PDFs or JPEGs without leaving the gallery environment.

Two new creative plugins aim to improve visual output, especially for photography enthusiasts. Cinematic Glow and several film-inspired filters promise a more polished, professional look with minimal effort from the user.

Another small but practical addition is the press-and-hold comparison tool. It lets users quickly check before-and-after results, while built-in feedback options make it easier to report issues or suggest improvements.

Finally, all enhanced content is saved in standard formats like JPEG, MP4, and PDF for easy sharing. The update appears targeted at devices running Android 16 with One UI 8.5, including the Galaxy S26 series.

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It’s been a week since Samsung rolled out the 9th One UI 8.5 beta for Galaxy S25 beta testers, but some users from the U.S. reported that the update was delayed for their phones.

Samsung released the 9th beta for testers in South Korea, India, UK, and Germany. The software package includes two new additions – AirDrop file transfer support for Quick Share and three new camera filters. These two are accompanied by new bug fixes and improvements for user experience.

While many have been exploring the latest software update to find new AI features from the Galaxy S26 series, some of the users from the U.S. had a hard time finding the latest beta itself.

A few of those reached out to me on my X account, asking about the status of the 9th beta release. At first, it was strange to see that the beta was not delivered to those users. Second, these test firmwares have been distributed to all beta participants in these eligible markets since the very beginning.

Where is 9th One UI 8.5 beta software for the Galaxy S25 series for US owners?

— Matt Maier (@mattma43) April 14, 2026

Some of these users asked Samsung customer care service to get the rollout status update. Instead, they received information about the stable rollout and not the 9th beta. This is a good thing that we somehow got to know about the final release date.

Eventually, the latest beta took around a week to reach the U.S. Yet, the question remains unanswered: why did it take a week?

Meanwhile, we can speculate on something in this matter. Samsung has different firmware to validate before final rollout. Among the 9 beta software updates, the biggest feature upgrade could be the AirDrop support. It’s possible that Samsung stayed extra cautious over its release and delayed the rollout for the U.S. users but we can’t be so sure about that.

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A Galaxy S26 Ultra entry on Geekbench is grabbing attention due to the OS bump to Android 17, which is, of course, an internal testing build atop One UI 9.

Someone running an internal Android 17-based One UI 9 Alpha build on the Galaxy S26 Ultra (SM-S948B) submitted a Geekbench 6.7.0 result on April 17.

• Single-core score: 3608
• Multi-core: 10829

Meanwhile, one of the most recent entries of Galaxy S26 Ultra running a stable Android 16-based One UI 8.5 landed on the same benchmark.

• Single-core: 3695
• Multi-core: 11183

Single-core took an 87-point hit, about a 2.4 percent drop, whereas the multi-core fell by 354 points, roughly 3.2 percent.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra is equipped with a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor. Eight cores split across two clusters, six efficiency cores at 3.63 GHz, and two performance cores at 4.74 GHz, as well as 12 GB of RAM.

This is alpha software; of course, it’s not optimized. Drivers are half-baked, schedulers aren’t tuned, and the kernel team probably hasn’t finished work yet.

Samsung has months before any public One UI 9 release, and performance gaps like these close during that window all the time.

Back in February, Samsung introduced the Galaxy S26 series with Android 16-based One UI 8.5. The company is in final stage of rolling out the software to existing models like the Galaxy S25 series by the end of this year.

One UI 9 is a thing of the future, and users of Galaxy S26 can expect a Beta Program around the end of May this year. The official version will release with the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Z Flip 8, and Z Fold 8 Wide sometime in July 2026.

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Samsung could finally shut down the Galaxy S25’s One UI 8.5 Beta Program tomorrow. It’s not an official confirmation, but credible rumors indicate that the last Beta update could be coming tomorrow.

One UI 8.5 Beta has been running for more than four months. Users of the Galaxy S25 series may complete five months on One UI 8.5 Beta firmware, as the Stable release is expected to take place on May 4th globally.

As always, Samsung’s Beta Program is restricted to six countries. However, the Beta activity is still covering millions of Galaxy S25 users. A wide-scale rollout may kickstart on April 30, with Samsung planning May 4 for Global users.

Samsung has released nine Beta updates for Beta participants so far. The firmware is based on the latest stage of Android 16. Galaxy users will also receive fruitful upgrades from the Android operating system together.

Previous Beta updates focused on optimizing the software and adding new features. Some builds were solely targeted at system-wide improvements. Meanwhile, the 10th Beta is going to be a game-changer for Beta participants.

You can expect:

• AI-powered Call screening
• Enhanced Audio Eraser
• Creative Studio
• Next-gen Photo Assist

Not just the S25 series, but Samsung is also preparing the Stable release for Galaxy S24 and S23 series, along with their Fan Edition models. Older flagship lineups would not wait much once the update arrives for 2025 models.

If you’re on Beta, the 10th Beta would bring almost everything a Stable release would. If you are still rocking One UI 8.0, intentially or forced to, the big upgrade isn’t much away; expect it in the first week of May 2026.

Before I wrap up, I repeat that Beta 10 is “most likely” to come tomorrow. Samsung hasn’t officially confirmed the Beta or Stable release dates. Even its chat support executives are repeating what X chatter assumes for rollout.

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Samsung has stretched the One UI 8.5 beta longer than expected, but its 10th beta could be the final piece of the puzzle that users have been searching for a while.

Began in December, the beta program has seen 9 software updates. A big feature pack rollout is still missing. Specifically, Samsung has been fixing bugs and optimizing the software with a few releases.

Some of the users accused the company of delaying the rollout so it can keep the newest AI features for the Galaxy S26 series. For now, that seems true because One UI 8.5 for the Galaxy S25 series is missing these new additions. In other words, Samsung is buying time to get these features included in the next update. Either way, Samsung just kept delaying the final rollout. However, the 10th beta could be different.

It’s reported that the 10th One UI 8.5 beta may pave the way for new AI features for the Galaxy S25 series. Specifically, call screen, improved Audio Eraser, and more. Connecting the dots, Samsung has nothing left to do with the beta program except for adding these new AI features. In fact, it’s done with the testing phase already. So, it’s time to close the program and get things started with One UI 9.

It’s also expected that this could be the final beta software before the stable update. The closest we can anticipate this rolling out is next week.

Early reports suggest that Samsung may release the stable update for all Galaxy S25 series users as early as April 30, starting with the home ground. It will expand to other countries from that day onwards.

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Consumer Reports magazine has ranked the Galaxy S26 Ultra its top-evaluated smartphone in the U.S., and one of its features has earned special praise in the tally.

This S-series phone has earned a total of 88 points for performance, reliability, and consumer satisfaction. It was followed by iPhone 16 Pro Max and 17 Pro Max alongside Galaxy S25 Ultra with 86 points. The phone has received a complete 5 in seven categories, including display, camera quality, battery, durability, and user experience.

The report found that the phone’s 6.9-inch display doesn’t stop it from offering the longest battery life. According to the test, the S26 Ultra served 51 hours and 30 minutes of power backup. That puts the phone at the top of the 29 other devices that entered the test.

Similar to Samsung, Consumer Reports also evaluates the battery life in its lab. It uses a robotic finger to perform different tasks to simulate a consumer’s average use cases. Some of these tasks are taking pictures, making calls, browsing the internet, using social media, and so on.

Compared to this, Samsung only shares battery performance results for video playback, which lasts 31 hours in the latest phone. An identical battery life to the S25 Ultra.

Samsung has been using this same battery capacity for the past five generations of S-series Ultra phones, and the S26 Ultra is the sixth generation.

Many users have noticed Samsung restricting this upgrade at a time when smartphones’ batteries are climbing higher than ever before. Yet, it is shown that Samsung is relying on its deep software optimizations to provide optimum power battery life. For example, each new Snapdragon processor is more power-efficient than the last. That helped to simplify the tasks and their power consumption.

Despite featuring the same old battery, the Galaxy S26 Ultra has earned this praise for its on-device optimizations that help users to get a long user experience.

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Sometimes small tweaks become a major upgrade, and that’s the case with the battery background removal option in One UI 8.5, improving the visibility factor.

The battery is the primary power source for a smartphone. The One UI, similar to every other phone software, brings a battery indicator icon that shows the remaining power level. With One UI 7, Samsung revamped this battery indicator, turned it horizontal, and added interesting animations.

Besides this change, the core feature remains the same. You can enable or disable the battery percentage in both cases. However, One UI 7 made it look better.

Coming to the latest update, One UI 8.5 has only one mode – battery percent inside the horizontal pill shape icon. Or,  you can now remove the background and go solo with numbers only. So, I tried the second way for over a week, and I realized that this option should have been enabled from day one.

By removing the battery icon background, you see large numbers. This scenario improves the visibility and provides a cleaner status bar. On top of that, Samsung has tailored this new version with charging and low battery scenarios. All of that with the same animations as before.

To remove the battery background, go to Settings > Notifications > Status bar > Show battery background.

The new battery icon background removal feature is available for the One UI 8.5 software, which will soon be released for eligible devices. If you want to remove the battery icon, go to the Good Lock app’s Quickstar module and explore all of its customizations.

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Samsung has been rolling out the One UI 8.5 beta for the Galaxy S25 series since December 2025. This minor One UI upgrade is based on Android 16, which brings improvements focused on easier content creation, better sharing, smoother performance, and some AI tweaks.

The beta program has been one of Samsung’s longest and most active ones, with multiple builds released to fix bugs before the final stable version drops.

Here’s a simple, date-wise breakdown of the beta releases for the Galaxy S25, S25+, and S25 Ultra, based on what we have seen so far. Keep in mind that exact changelogs can vary slightly by region, and not every build brought new stuff, many focused on fixes and stability. Let’s start:

One UI 8.5 Beta 1:

On December 8, 2025, Samsung kicked off the One UI 8.5 beta program for the S25 series in select countries like the US, UK, South Korea, Germany, India, and Poland. This was the first build with most of the new features. You could sign up through the Samsung Members app. What it included:

• Upgraded Photo Assist for more seamless image editing and generation (you can keep creating variations without saving each one and review your edit history later).
• Better Quick Share that smartly suggests sending photos to people recognized in them.
• New connectivity options like Storage Share, enhanced Auracast for audio, and other sharing/connectivity improvements.
• General UI tweaks for easier everyday use, plus early performance and privacy enhancements.

Beta 2:

Around December 22-23, 2025, the second beta was released about two weeks later and expanded to a couple more regions. It was around 1.1 GB in size for new installs. What it included:

• Mostly bug fixes: Fixed stuttering in call menus, issues with the volume button, and some third-party apps crashing unexpectedly.
• Camera Assistant now supports dual recording and single take mode more reliably.
• Included the December 2025 security patch.
• Minor stability improvements.

Beta 3:

Around January 5, 2026, this one brought the January 2026 security patch and focused on polishing the experience. What it included:

• Fixes for battery drain issues.
• Reduced lag in the Gallery app.
• Resolved lock-screen clock glitches.
• Other general bug fixes and performance tweaks.

Beta 4:

Around early to mid-February 2026, Samsung kept the momentum with smaller, targeted updates. What it included:

• Minor tweaks and fixes (details were light, mostly stability and small UI adjustments).
• Continued bug squashing from previous feedback.

Beta 5 and Beta 6:

Mid to late February 2026. These builds kept coming steadily. Beta 6, for example, started rolling out in places like India shortly after the Galaxy S26 series launched with stable One UI 8.5. What included:

• Focus on system stability and performance.
• Various small fixes to apps and connectivity.

Beta 7:

Around March 12, 2026, by this point, the beta was getting more stable. What it included:

• Critical bug fixes: Stopped unintended video calls, Gallery app crashes, and false DeX overheating warnings.
• Improved Messages app (no more stuttering when opening threads).
• Better Wi-Fi recovery when switching networks.
• Overall smoother performance and stability improvements.

Beta 8:

Late March 2026: Another incremental update that continued the stability push. What it included:

• More bug fixes and refinements (specifics were mostly under-the-hood, with users noting fewer random issues).

Beta 9:

Around April 9, 2026 (rolled out in South Korea, India, and later the US), this one landed in the US recently for carrier-locked models. What it included:

• Nine specific changes/fixes (Samsung listed them in the changelog, covering stability, app behavior, and minor UI polish).
• April 2026 security patch elements in some variants.
• Continued improvements to animations, Quick Panel, and overall responsiveness.

Beta 10:

Expected around April 20, 2026, Samsung reportedly has plans for a 10th beta. Testing for a build (ZZD9) has already started internally. What it might include:

• Possible addition of a few AI features from the newer S26 series (like enhanced tools that were hardware-exclusive at first).
• Final round of bug fixes and optimizations before going stable.
• More polishing for the camera, connectivity, and daily smoothness.

The beta program has since expanded beyond the S25 series to older models like the S24, S23, foldables, and even some FE and Tab devices, but the S25 lineup got the most builds and earliest access.

When will the stable One UI 8.5 update come for the Galaxy S25 series?

We are getting close. According to reliable leaks and even some Samsung support chats, the stable One UI 8.5 version is starting to roll out on April 30, 2026, first in South Korea. Global rollout (including the US and other regions) should follow shortly after, likely around May 4, 2026.

The S25 series (including S25, S25+, S25 Ultra, and probably the FE/Edge variants) should be in the first wave. The stable build will include all the features and fixes from the betas, plus final optimizations.

Since the Galaxy S26 series already ships with stable One UI 8.5, Samsung has had time to refine it well. A quick tip:

If you are on the beta, you will likely get the stable update automatically once it drops (or you can unenroll and wait for it). For everyone else on the S25 series, just a couple more weeks, and you will get the stable version without joining the beta program.

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AirDrop to Samsung via Quick Share is a significant move, but the sharing system has one more issue, this time with PDF files with certain names.

The headline feature, cross-platform file sharing with AirDrop compatibility, is functional on paper. In practice, the current One UI 8.5 Beta exposes gaps in how Samsung is handling file systems and metadata during the handshake protocol.

The most immediate issue is with PDFs.

When a file is sent from an iPad using AirDrop, certain filenames break the transfer entirely. Specifically, filenames containing characters like “/” fail to land on Galaxy devices.

Android’s directory structure treats “/” as a reserved separator. The result is a silent failure: no error prompt, no fallback rename, just a dropped transfer. For a feature that aims to simplify sharing, that lack of feedback stands out.

Then comes the deeper problem, metadata loss. Files that do make it across are often stripped of their EXIF data. That includes GPS location tags, lens information, and camera hardware identifiers.

For anyone relying on file integrity, photographers, journalists, or even social media creators, this is a serious regression. The data is present on the source device but disappears during the Quick Share to AirDrop transfer.

Samsung moderators responded to users’ complaints, but mentioned that the team was not able to reproduce the issue in their testing. The user was asked to reshare the PDF file after removing the special character from the file name.

Quick Share engineering team is reportedly working on fixes, with a patch expected in the next Beta update cycle. For now, One UI 8.5 Beta users get a preview of the future, but also a reminder that polish still matters.

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Samsung’s One UI 8.5 seems to have entered the final phase for Stable rollout. Beta Program is underway, and the last update could be coming next week. Meanwhile, Samsung shifted its focus to Stable builds over the past few days.

Back in December, Samsung opened One UI 8.5 Beta Program for the Galaxy S25 series. The activity has arrived in six countries, while users in others are still stuck to the One UI 8.0, based on Android 16 operating system.

Samsung rolled out 9 Beta updates to Galaxy S25 series throughout the Beta Program. The last, 10th, Beta update could be pushed on April 20. Final rollout of the One UI 8.5 firmware is said to kickstart on April 30 in South Korea.

Latest Stable One UI 8.5 builds for Galaxy S phones

The Korean tech giant this week uploaded new Stable builds to its server. The latest builds belong to Galaxy S series smartphones. The Galaxy S22 series has yet to grab any attention in terms of a major software update.

The appearance of new Stable builds isn’t sudden, but strategic. With Samsung nearing the official rollout timeline, preparations are seeing notable progress. Pre-rollout testing is necessary to ensure reliable update distribution.

• Galaxy S23 series – FZD7
• Galaxy S24 series – DZD9
• Galaxy S25 series – CZDB
• Galaxy S23 FE – GZD7
• Galaxy S24 FE – DZD7

Samsung revealed nothing about the One UI 8.5 rollout timeline. What we know from rumors is April 30 as the Korean rollout date and May 4 as Global. Like Beta releases, the Stable distribution roadmap may also be accurate.

If you’re waiting for the One UI 8.5 update, the next two weeks are important. Once the rollout begins for the Galaxy S25 series, the company won’t waste much time expanding the availability of the Stable update for older models.

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Samsung Research Institute Noida’s Managing Director, Kyungyun Roo, sat down with reporters recently and revealed something the company doesn’t usually broadcast: India shaped some of the Galaxy S26 family’s most practical features.

Most people assume Samsung’s best ideas come from South Korea, but that assumption is wrong.

Backup calling is the clearest example; Indians carry two SIM cards because coverage is patchy and no single operator owns every corner of the country. The SRI Noida team looked at that daily friction and built a solution.

When one SIM drops signal, the feature routes calls through the data service on the second SIM automatically. The team pitched it to Suwon headquarters and got a nod. Now it ships on every Galaxy S26 smartphone worldwide.

Direct Voicemail followed a similar path. Noida team developed it first for the A-series based on direct feedback, then it climbed up to the flagships. Roo was clear about the process: the SRI Noida team worked hand in hand with Suwon to get it done.

Other features with Noida fingerprints include Privacy display, which blocks side-view snooping, Call Screening, which acts as an AI-powered personal assistant to answer, transcribe, and filter incoming calls, and Creative Studio, a one-stop image generation tool built around prompts, sketches, and existing photos.

The Galaxy S26 itself, Samsung’s third AI smartphone, is being manufactured at the Noida plant. So India isn’t just contributing ideas, but also building the physical hardware.

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Leaked One UI 9 preview exposes a major shift: Samsung is considering decoupling toggles from brightness and sound sliders.

With the One UI 7, Samsung introduced Galaxy’s redesigned Quick Settings and separated Notification Panel. The interface consisted of various components, including tiles, toggles, cards, expandable cards, and sliders.

Samsung has slapped a thin border across the cards, toggles, and sliders in One UI 8. It was the first step in adopting the frosted glass design language. This shift improved visibility while keeping the design idea unchanged.

One UI 8.5 marks a major progress in terms of customization. You can remove the cards that you don’t want and create your own. Good Lock’s QuickStar even allows you to tweak the orientation and alignment of sliders.

One UI 9 decouples toggles from sliders

Samsung’s upcoming One UI 9 could take Quick Panel one step ahead by delinking the legacy Dark/Light mode and Sound/Vibrate/Silent toggles from the brightness and sound sliders.

A screenshot posted by TarunVats shows off the Dark/Light mode and Sound tiles separated from the display brightness and speaker sound adjustment sliders.

The firmware has also increased the thickness of sliders. They look different at first glance, but prove more accessible once you get familiar with the updated design.

Samsung fans are divided over the decoupling redesign. Keeping toggles stapled with their respective functions was a wise move, but not everyone wants them to stay stuck.

How do you see this design shift?

One UI 9 is based on Android 17, and an official launch is due in July 2026. Expect the Beta Program for the Galaxy S26 series by May, with sequential expansion to more Galaxy models.

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Galaxy S27 Pro is shaping up to be a real thing after Samsung failed to bring the Galaxy S26 Pro this year. The so-called Galaxy S27 Pro version has entered the supply chain discussion, but its arrival isn’t officially confirmed.

Samsung is reportedly making Galaxy S27 Pro equivalent to the Galaxy S27 Ultra. Consumers who want a top-notch experience without Ultra vibes will love buying the Galaxy S27 Pro if the phone progresses as the rumors claim.

Samsung Galaxy S27 Pro Expectations

Galaxy S27 Pro may target the iPhone 17 Pro before Apple brings the iPhone 18 Pro. The Galaxy S27 Ultra may be presented as an alternative to the iPhone 17 Pro Max and iPhone 18 Pro Max, as well as Apple’s Pro iPhones.

Samsung may launch the Galaxy S27 Pro with a 6.8-inch screen. The device may also feature Samsung’s anti-reflective layer along with Privacy display. Screen’s resolution, refresh rate and OLED materials may match Ultra.

In terms of optics, there’s nothing known. What we expect is an Ultra-style camera setup, bringing a 200-megapixel primary, a 50-megapixel ultrawide, a 50-megapixel ALoP telephoto and an upgraded 3x telephoto camera.

If Samsung prefers a triple camera setup, the module should include a 200-megapixel primary, a 50-megapixel ultrawide, and a 50-megapixel ALoP telephoto. The front camera may remain the same as S26s, 12MP sensor.

Galaxy S27 Ultra is rumored to come with variable aperture camera technology.

In terms of performance, Samsung may use Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 processor worldwide. Exynos 2600 is decent and Exynos 2700 will be even better. However, Snapdragon helps Samsung flagships compete with Apple iPhones.

Samsung may use Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro in the Galaxy S27 Ultra.

The Qualcomm chipset could be paired with cutting-edge memory solutions. We may see LPDDR6 RAM, a major upgrade over LPDDR5X. USF 5.0 is also said to be featured in the S27 Pro and S27 Ultra with almost 2x speed.

Samsung may not bring S Pen support to the Galaxy S27 Pro. It will be the biggest thing to differentiate the Pro and Ultra. Meanwhile, the screen could support a stylus, and the Pen can be purchased as an additional accessory.

The Galaxy S27 Pro may pack a 5000mAh battery and support 45W or 60W charging speed. Wireless charging may also match the Ultra version, but built-in Qi2 charging magnets are the real upgrade fans are waiting for.

Galaxy S27 Pro, if it actually happens, could be priced between the Galaxy S27 Plus and Galaxy S27 Ultra. After a price hike over S25 series, the S26 Plus costs $1,099 and the S26 Ultra starts at $1,299 in the United States.

That said, the Galaxy S27 Pro may launch at $1,199 in the US.

Are you excited for the first Pro flagship from Samsung?

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Disclaimer: The specs and features written in the post are derived from rumors, leaks, industry chatter, and assumptions. None of the specs or features are confirmed or final; Samsung hasn’t even confirmed the S27 Pro for 2027.

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Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 is now being advertised as “free” through T-Mobile. The company’s latest wearable push just got a major carrier boost, but like most telecom deals, the real story sits in the fine print.

The Galaxy Watch 8 is not instantly free on T-Mobile, as most buyers expect. For buyers already planning to add a smartwatch line, this deal makes sense. For everyone else, it is a commitment disguised as a perk.

Here is how the numbers actually work:

• Retail price: about $400
  • You pay that upfront or finance it
• T-Mobile refunds that amount via monthly bill credits over 24 months
• You must add a Watch Plan Plus line
• There is also a $35 connection fee

So, month to month, you are essentially committing to a two-year contract where the watch cost is offset, not waived. The catch is simple: cancel early, and the remaining credits disappear, leaving you to pay the balance.

The real cost is the Watch Plan Plus line. That is the ongoing monthly expense that makes this deal viable for T-Mobile. In other words, the watch becomes “free,” but the connectivity is not.

Galaxy Watch 8 – Key specs and features

Health tracking remains a strong pillar. Sleep reports, workout logs, and sport-specific guidance are all here, making it a practical daily companion rather than just a notification screen.

• 40mm case with sapphire crystal for durability
• 1.34-inch display with sharp, readable UI
• 32GB onboard storage for apps and media
• Improved battery with up to a few days in standby

You also get Samsung’s AI-powered assistant baked into the experience, handling quick searches, voice notes, and message drafting without needing your phone nearby.

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The second-generation triple-folding Samsung phone, the Galaxy Z TriFold 2, could launch with an improved hinge. Beyond durability, the device may also improve some other aspects over the first-generation product.

As per a Naver source, Samsung is developing an improved hinge for the Galaxy Z TriFold 2. The company is prioritizing lightweight and ultra-slim design. The new hinge may be utilized in other foldable products as well.

The OG TriFold is 12.9mm thick when closed, far thicker than the 8.9mm Fold 7 and 7.9mm S26 Ultra. The device weighs 309 grams, a significant difference from the Z Fold 7 and S26 Ultra, which weigh 215g and 214g, respectively.

Foldable devices rely heavily on the hinge, which supports the entire form factor. Hinge is the component that keeps the screens attached. Folding and unfolding of the smartphone is solely handled by the hinge.

Over the years, Samsung has improved its foldable hinge. As a result, the durability of Galaxy foldables has improved greatly. The last three generations show major improvements, such as folding the phone flat without a gap.

Galaxy Z TriFold folds/unfolds twice, one extra time from regular foldables. To make it happen, Samsung had to use two hinges to attach three panels. It seems the next-gen TriFold may feature a hinge improved by user feedback.

Samsung has released TriFold in limited numbers, with the last restock selling out in the US. There’s very little hope for another restock, and the company may finally shift its focus to the second-generation products.

Related article:

• Galaxy Z TriFold joins Samsung’s shortest-lived innovations list

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Samsung is about to phase out LPDDR4 and LPDDR4X RAM products and push the LPDDR5 standard, benefiting future Galaxy phones.

According to supply chain sources (via TheElec), Samsung has effectively pulled the plug on LPDDR4 and LPDDR4X as part of pushing LPDDR5 RAM in next-gen Galaxy phones.

LPDDR4X has been around for nearly a decade; perfect for mid-range phones.

Samsung is not replacing it with something equivalent. It is jumping straight to LPDDR5, and mid-range Galaxy phones are about to inherit flagship-grade memory performance. We are talking about a jump from roughly 4.3Gbps to 6.4Gbps.

Devices like the upcoming Galaxy A17 sit right in the transition window. Early batches could still rely on LPDDR4X if inventory holds, and later units might switch to LPDDR5.

At Samsung’s Hwaseong complex, specifically Line 12, the company is reshaping production priorities. Older memory and even some NAND lines are being phased out or reworked.

The goal is clear: free up capacity for newer DRAM generations that are in higher demand and tighter supply.

For chipmakers and OEMs, this forces a redesign cycle. You cannot keep shipping new silicon tied to LPDDR4X when supply is drying up. That is why players across the ecosystem are already moving toward LPDDR5 and even LPDDR5X support.

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Samsung’s Galaxy Z TriFold is now completely sold out in the US, both online and in retail stores, following a final restock on April 10.

What is more telling is how Samsung now frames the device. The company has quietly labeled it a “limited-run” product, a term that only showed up after discontinuation, not at launch.

Galaxy Z TriFold was one of the most ambitious pieces of hardware Samsung’s shipped in years. The device pushed past the familiar book-style foldable and stepped into something closer to a pocket-sized tablet.

The TriFold barely had time to settle into the market before it disappeared. A March discontinuation, followed by a brief US restock in April, and now a full sell-out. That is a lifecycle measured in months, not years.

There is no official confirmation that the TriFold line is dead for good. At the same time, nothing on Samsung’s side suggests a near-term return. Reports of a potential sequel exist, but they sit firmly in early development territory.

If you land on the TriFold page today, you are redirected toward safer bets. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy S26 Ultra are now the recommended paths forward.

If a TriFold 2 shows up, it will not be a continuation. It will be a more calculated second attempt.

Galaxy Z TriFold

The limited-run Galaxy Z TriFold is now completely sold out. Keep visiting samsung.com to make sure you don’t miss upcoming one-of-a-kind innovations, and shop the latest foldables and premium mobile devices now from Samsung Galaxy.

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While the price of existing smartphones is going up, Samsung is launching some good offers on its flagship phones. In the latest edition, the company is giving away a $300 discount for anyone who buys the Galaxy S25 Ultra.

This is the first time the phone has dropped below the $1,000 range. That said, the base model, after discount, starts at $999, over the $1,299 launch price. On the other hand, the 512GB version now costs $1,119, reduced from $1,419. And the 1TB version slashed to $1,359 from $,1659.

It is available in all colors, including Titanium Jadegreen, Jetblack, Pinkgold, Black, Gray, Silverblue, and Whitesilver.

In comparison, the 256GB version of the Galaxy 26 Ultra starts at $1,099, down from $1,299. The rest of the models have a $200 discount. Samsung has this discount, in case you want to grab the S26 Ultra instead of its predecessor. However, if you seek to save extra, you should definitely opt for the S25 Ultra.

The S25 Ultra still has one of the most competitive flagship camera experiences. The Design includes a titanium frame, which is degraded to an aluminum frame in the latest generation. The phone retains the slightly boxy look, and it sits well in the hand. It has seven OS updates and 7 years of security update pact just like the new device.

Its performance comes from the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, running all of your favorite apps and games without any compromises.

Besides the $300 off, Samsung is also offering over $580 trade-in credit to swap your previous device with a new Galaxy S25 Ultra. Moreover, you can check-in up to 40% discount on smartwatch and smart audio devices.

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