Leaked changelog reveals the Stable One UI 8.5 for the Galaxy S23 Ultra focuses more on refinement than headline-grabbing additions. It brings a noticeable design refresh and a handful of practical upgrades across the system.

Samsung is leaning into a cleaner, more layered design with transparent blur effects and floating UI elements. It feels closer to a polish pass than a redesign, but the improved depth and readability make navigation smoother, via TarunVats.

Lock screen customization also gets better, with smarter wallpaper fitting, new clock styling options, and downloadable interactive wallpapers.

On the AI front, the Stable update expands existing capabilities rather than introducing the newest Galaxy AI tools. Photo Assist now supports continuous image generation without forcing users to save each version.

Bixby has also been improved to better understand natural language commands and provide quicker answers, along with an accessible conversation history panel.

Several newer AI features seen on the Galaxy S26 lineup are absent. There’s no sign of Call Screening, Creative Studio, upgraded AI Audio Eraser, Notification Highlights, or Now Nudges in this build, suggesting Samsung is keeping those exclusive.

Camera changes are relatively minor, limited to a few new portrait filters. The Weather app adds precipitation graphs and a pollen index, while the Clock app introduces weather-based alarm backgrounds.

Here’s the complete One UI 8.5 update changelog

Visual design

Fresh new look

One UI seamlessly integrates into your daily routine by combining immersive visuals with meaningful personalization for a more refined and sophisticated design. Transparent blur effects add depth and make content easier to navigate, while floating elements react organically to your workflow for a more focused experience. Through familiar and intuitive data visualization, One UI delivers a design that feels both personal and relatable, helping you focus on what matters.

Galaxy AI

Continuous image generation

Keep creating without stopping. Photo Assist now lets you generate AI images using different features from the results screen without saving each iteration. When you’re done, you can review all your creations in your history and pick your favorites.

Bixby

Smarter device control

Talk to Bixby in your own words. Bixby is now better at finding the setting or feature you need, even if you don’t use exact commands or feature names. Just say what you need and let Bixby do the rest.

Ask anything, anytime

Whether you need a quick answer or detailed information, just ask Bixby for an instant response. There’s no need to spend time on multiple searches or switching between apps.

Conversation history

Looking back at past conversations with Bixby is easier than ever. You can now access your conversation history from the side panel in the Bixby app.

Camera

New portrait filters

Three new filters are available to add vibrant film-like effects to your pictures.

Home and Lock screens

Automatic Lock screen layout

Wallpapers with pictures of people or pets now fit perfectly every time. When you choose a photo for your Lock screen, the photo will automatically be adjusted to best fit your clock and widget layout.

New downloadable wallpapers

Discover new wallpapers featuring interactive elements. Wallpapers are downloadable so they don’t use up your storage space when not in use.

More customizable clock fonts

Personalize your Lock screen clock. You can now adjust the thickness of more font styles to match your preferred look.

Weather

Enhanced weather widget

Quickly check upcoming precipitation in the Weather widget on your Home screen. The widget now shows a graph if precipitation is expected in the next few hours.

Pollen index

Check how much pollen is in the air to help manage your allergies. You can check pollen levels for trees, grass, and ragweed.

Communication

Direct voicemail

Can’t answer right now? Let callers record a voice message directly on your phone that you can listen to later. The message will appear on your screen as it’s being recorded so you can answer at any time.

Clock

Weather alarm backgrounds

Wake up to an alarm that gets you ready for the day’s weather. Your alarm screen can now show the current weather conditions as a background when it rings.

Time zone converter

Compare time zones at a glance. The new slider in the Clock app makes it easy to check the time difference between places around the world.

Connectivity

Storage Share

Access your files anywhere. Files from your other Samsung phones, tablets, and PCs are available in the My Files app on your phone. You can also access your phone’s files on other Samsung devices, even your TV.

Auto Hotspot

Share your phone’s internet connection more easily. You can now share your hotspot with your Samsung account family group, or create your own hotspot sharing group with anyone you choose.

Family device sharing

Easily connect and share files, screens, cameras, storage and more with your family. Family device sharing lets you use features like Quick Share, Camera Share, Storage Share, Auto Hotspot, and Multi control with Galaxy devices that belong to your family members.

Quickly connect to Smart View devices

Connect to your favorite display faster. You can now add a shortcut on your Home screen to instantly mirror your phone’s screen to a TV or other display device.

Enhanced Auracast features

It’s easier than ever to listen to and broadcast sound with Auracast. Options for both broadcasting and listening are now located in the Audio broadcast menu in Settings.

Voice broadcasts

Broadcast your voice to people around you with Auracast. In addition to media sound, you can now broadcast your voice using your phone’s built-in microphone.

Quick Share

Avoid unwanted sharing requests

You can now set Quick Share to only receive files from other devices signed in to your Samsung account or Google account.

Samsung Health

Enhanced weekly reports

See a fuller picture of your health each week. Weekly reports now include data from your medication tracker and mindfulness sessions.

Upgraded sharing experience

Share your workouts your way. Mix and match your exercise stats with photos from your workout to create the perfect social media post.

Start meditations from your watch

Find calm right from your wrist. You can now start favorite or recommended meditations directly on your Galaxy Watch without picking up your phone.

Antioxidant measurements from your watch

Check your antioxidant levels anytime. Measure directly from your Galaxy Watch, even if it’s not connected to your phone. Works with Galaxy Watch8 and Galaxy Watch Ultra.

Battery and power

Revamped battery info

See your battery use more clearly. The redesigned Battery settings screen makes it easier to check remaining time, charging status, and daily usage over the past week.

Improved Power saving

Use Power saving to make your battery last longer without charging. Choose Standard for moderate savings and customizable limits, or choose Maximum to turn off all non-essential features and make your battery last as long as possible.

Security and privacy

Privacy alerts

Stay informed about your privacy. You’ll now get alerts when an app’s permissions could put your personal data at risk along with suggestions for what you can do about it.

Theft protection

Keep your phone and data safe in case it is lost or stolen. Turn on Failed authentication lock to automatically lock the screen in case there are too many failed attempts to verify your identity using your fingerprints, PIN, pattern, or password. Identity check also protects even more settings than before.

Turn off Auto Blocker temporarily

If you need to temporarily disable Auto Blocker’s security protection, a new option lets you turn it on automatically 30 minutes later so you don’t forget.

Check the security status of your devices

Keep all your devices protected. Knox Matrix now shows when any of the supported devices signed in to your Samsung account need a software update for the latest security protections.

Accessibility

Easily control Bluetooth hearing aids

Access settings for your Bluetooth hearing aids directly from the Accessibility shortcut. A pop-up will appear that lets you change your hearing program, turn Ambient sound on or off, and more.

Control magnification with mouse or keyboard

Keep what you need magnified in view with these new options. You can make the magnified area follow the cursor as you type or move when you change focus using the keyboard. When using a mouse, you can make the magnified area shift as you move the pointer to the edge of the screen.

Dwell action and Corner actions

The Auto action after pointer stops feature has been divided into two features. Dwell action lets you set custom actions when your mouse stops moving for a certain amount of time. Corner actions let you set a different action for each corner of the screen.

Even more improvements

More customizable quick panel
Arrange your quick settings just the way you like them. You can now add, remove, reorder, and reorganize controls in the quick panel.

Early alerts for reminders

Get alerts before reminders are due to make sure you don’t forget important tasks. You can choose how far in advance to get an alert for each reminder.

Insert tables in Samsung Notes

Organize information in your notes with tables. You can adjust column widths, colors, and border designs while the auto calculation feature helps you stay productive and save time.

Redesigned New tab page

The page that appears when you open a new tab in Samsung Browser has been redesigned to help you quickly access the websites and features you need the most. The New tab page now shows the current security status as well as open tabs from Samsung Browser on other devices.

Partial screen recording

Include only what you need in your screen recordings. You can now select only the part of the screen that you want to record.

Calculator nudges

Save time on calculations. Numbers and formulas copied to your clipboard will be suggested when you open Calculator so you can enter them with a quick tap.

Keep window sizes in DeX

DeX now remembers your app window sizes and positions. When you open an app again, it appears just as you left it.

Triple Zero service enhancement

Software enhancement to provide an additional layer of connectivity to Triple Zero services during emergency service outages.

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After the Galaxy S23 series, Samsung pushed the One UI 8.5 Beta 2 update to the Galaxy A36, Galaxy A55 and Galaxy A35. The software is now available for Beta participants in India.

It is a cleanup-focused update, targeting a few noticeable annoyances from the first build. Users can identify the update via the PDA build version ZZDC/7/9, which also carries the latest April 2026 security patch.

The most important fix addresses Bluetooth behavior. Autoscan wasn’t triggering properly when users entered the Bluetooth menu, which could make device discovery feel broken.

Performance tuning is also part of this build, as spotted by Mohammed Khatri. Samsung has worked on reducing the lag when pulling down the Quick Panel, which should make everyday interactions feel smoother and more responsive.

On the UI side, there’s a fix for an issue where the message input field would overlap with the navigation bar. It’s a small bug, but one that directly impacts usability while typing.

Lastly, Samsung has patched System UI ANR (probably App Not Responding) issues that appeared after FOTA (firmware over-the-air) updates. This should improve overall stability and reduce random freezes tied to system processes.

Overall, Beta 2 doesn’t bring new features, but it tightens up performance and fixes some rough edges from the initial release.

One UI 8.5 Beta 2 changelog for Galaxy A36, A55 and A35

• Fixed an issue that Bluetooth Autoscan did not work when entering Bluetooth
• Improved the Sluggish/Delay when lowering the Quick Panel
• Fixed an issue that overlaps the message input window with the navigation bar
• Fixed System UI ANR issues after FOTA

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Samsung is days away from pushing the stable One UI 8.5 build, but the latest Beta is still flagging optimization and touch delay issues on the Galaxy S25 series.

While testing Beta 10 on the Galaxy S25 Ultra, I ran into a system-level warning that should not be showing up this late in the cycle. A pop-up appeared stating that “One UI Home isn’t optimized for the latest version of Android.”

What followed was more concerning.

Touch input started lagging, not outright freezing, but delayed enough to break interaction flow, with some taps not registering at all.

The issue became more obvious when using the search. Triggering it caused a full launcher crash; the UI didn’t reboot cleanly either.

Instead, the system entered a half-responsive state. The Quick Panel could still be pulled down, which suggests the system UI thread was alive, but actions inside it were dead. Tapping “Start Recording” or similar toggles did nothing.

There is a workaround, and it’s oddly manual, via MojoTrick. Repeatedly swiping back to the home screen eventually restores responsiveness. That lines up with a temporary blockage in the launcher or UI rendering pipeline.

This bug sits in an uncomfortable spot. The fact that it’s tied to One UI Home optimization suggests something isn’t fully aligned between One UI 8.5 and the underlying Android build.

With the stable rollout expected this Thursday, the question is simple: Does Samsung already have a patched build ready, or is this slipping into release firmware unnoticed?

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Samsung is sweetening the deal on its mid-range phones in South America, quietly rolling out a Spotify Premium bundle for buyers of select Galaxy A series devices in the region.

Spotify Premium is being offered to Samsung Galaxy buyers across countries in South America, reports ETNews. It’s a smart play, and it tells you a lot about how nervous Samsung actually is.

Buyers of the Galaxy A57, A37, A17, and A07 pick up three months of Spotify Premium at no cost. Existing subscribers aren’t left out either; they can snag up to two bonus months depending on conditions.

Benefits of Spotify Premium include ad-free streaming, offline downloads, and curated recommendations. Samsung fans buying Galaxy A phones are getting free access, and it should be available globally.

Latin America shipped 140.5 million phones last year, and Samsung held the top spot with 46.9 million units. Omdia reported that the Korean company’s shipments were carried largely by a 32% surge in entry-level A0x and A1x models.

South Americans consume content, including music, video, and social media, eagerly. Attaching a streaming benefit to a phone purchase isn’t random. It’s targeted at a behavior that already exists, just redirected toward the Galaxy ecosystem.

Rising memory costs are squeezing manufacturers across the board this year, and inventory strategies in the region are tightening. Bundling Spotify is the move you make when a race to the bottom stops being an option.

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Selfie camera cutout is a major thing remaining to be innovated on mobile displays, and it looks like Samsung is already on it. It seems Samsung had a way to reduce the Galaxy S26 Ultra selfie camera cutout, but S27 Ultra may adopt it.

Galaxy S26 Ultra was introduced in February 2026, and in particular, it brings a bigger selfie camera hole over its predecessor. The shift results in a wider field of view on the front camera to improve group selfies.

Samsung seems to have had a new technology to shrink the selfie camera cutout, which was skipped on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, reportedly debuting with the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and potentially expanding to the Galaxy S27 Ultra.

Recently, tipster IceUniverse revealed that Samsung could use a new technology in the Galaxy Z Fold 8’s cover screen. The new solution significantly reduces the diameter of the hole of the front camera on the display.

With under-display camera tech, which isn’t favorable for premium phones, it’s great to see the hole is getting smaller. Galaxy Z Fold 8 may bring the innovation, which could potentially head to the S27 Ultra next year.

Ice Universe today posted a handful of images of the Galaxy S26 Ultra with its actual selfie camera cutout (4.0mm) and how it could have looked if the Fold 8’s tech (2.5mm) was adopted in it. The difference is big; big enough to flip the script.

That said, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 may bring a preview of the Galaxy S27 Ultra’s possible selfie camera hole. The Unpacked is likely to take place in late July in London, while the Galaxy S event may take place early next year.

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Samsung’s One UI 8.5 Beta 2 update has started rolling out to the Galaxy S23 series. The latest software update carries the PDA version ZZDP, which brings fixes for key issues linked to the display, calling, camera, and more.

The update improves call reliability, addressing cases where the screen would turn black or respond late when receiving a call. It also fixes problems with the proximity sensor during calls, which could behave inconsistently.

Camera stability gets a boost too, with a fix for green line issues that appeared while recording 4K HDR videos in some apps. Samsung has now addressed it, so video recording should be cleaner.

One of the notable fixes targets the “green line” problem, but this isn’t the display defect some users worry about. Instead, it was a camera-related glitch that could show green lines while recording 4K HDR videos in certain apps.

On top of that, Samsung has improved Bluetooth stability to prevent crashes. The update also resolves a multi-touch issue that could occur when certain accessibility settings were enabled, making overall touch response reliable.

One thing that caught my attention is the continuity of security patch. Samsung should have included the May 2026 security patch. Instead, the second Beta retains the current security patch dated April 5, 2026.

Get the latest Beta update through Settings > Software update > Download and install.

Earlier, Samsung started the One UI 8.5 Beta Program and delivered the first Beta. The opportunity opens access to the upcoming software. Beta is limited to select markets, and Stable rollout may start by the end of next month.

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Samsung SDS quietly expanded its OpenAI partnership this week, locking in reseller rights for ChatGPT Edu and targeting educational institutions across Korea.

According to SBSBiz, Samsung is already running a proof of concept with the Korea National Open University, which has roughly 90,000 students, faculty, and staff.

Real numbers, real stakes; if that deployment goes live, it signals Samsung SDS has stopped treating education as a secondary market and started treating it as a priority.

ChatGPT Edu

ChatGPT Edu is a version of ChatGPT built specifically for universities and research organizations. Conversations don’t feed back into OpenAI’s training data.

That matters enormously when you are talking about student records, unpublished research, and faculty work. Arizona State, Cal State, and Harvard are already running it globally, with Korea catching up fast.

Samsung SDS is bringing its one-team model to these deployments, folding AI consulting, development, cloud infrastructure, and security into a single framework.

Additionally, LG CNS signed a similar reseller deal and is already running seminars at major Seoul-area universities. It operates through something called the OpenAI Launch Center.

Samsung SDS and LG CNS are racing to own the institutional AI stack. The security angle is the real battleground. Schools won’t touch AI tools that compromise student data, and both sides know it.

Samsung SDS head of strategic marketing Lee Jung-heon said the goal goes beyond reselling, pointing toward full deployment and operational support.

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The Galaxy S24 series was introduced at AI Phone, with Samsung continuing its efforts on each iteration. Meanwhile, OpenAI could be considering entering the market with AI-first phones if plans make strategic sense.

The current smartphone model is built around apps, but that abstraction is starting to break. What users actually want is task completion, not app navigation. That shift is where OpenAI’s “AI agent” concept fits in.

Instead of hopping between services, an agent-centric interface collapses intent, execution, and response into a single layer. It changes how silicon is designed, how operating systems behave, and how data flows between device and cloud.

OpenAI’s reported partnership with MediaTek and Qualcomm signals a deliberate move into silicon co-development. Luxshare sits in a critical position as the exclusive system co-design and manufacturing partner.

The 2028 mass production target aligns with a typical custom silicon cycle. Specifications are expected to be locked by late 2026 or early 2027, as reported by MingChiKuo.

Key design priorities are already clear:

• Continuous context awareness, which demands ultra-efficient low-power compute blocks
• Memory hierarchy optimization, since AI agents rely heavily on fast data access rather than raw peak performance
• Hybrid execution, where smaller models run locally and larger inference workloads are offloaded to the cloud

The so-called Zebrafish comparison is tied to Google’s TPU collaboration with MediaTek. In simple terms, a single advanced AI chip program can generate revenue equivalent to tens of millions of smartphone processors.

The next smartphone battleground may not be cameras or displays. It will be the one who owns the primary interface between user intent and execution.

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Samsung’s next-gen foldables have already been revealed in CAD renders. Taking early looks to the next level, early dummy units made of aluminum give us a clearer look at the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide, and Galaxy Z Flip 8.

The eighth-generation Samsung foldables will be unveiled this July. The company is adding a new form factor to the portfolio, rather than bringing a sequel to the Fan Edition flip phone.

Leaker SonnyDickson posted pictures of the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Z Fold 8 Wide, and Z Flip 8 aluminum dummy units on X. The images give us an idea of how the actual phones would look and appear in the real-world experience.

What we see from leaked dummies

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Galaxy Z Flip 8 continue the legacy design language. The biggest shift you see in the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide, the additional model, which seems to be a replica of Google’s first Pixel Fold.

The Fold model is tall when folded, and the cover screen tries to act like a slab phone. The Flip version keeps its roots of portability, featuring a full-view cover screen and a slab phone experience when unfolded.

The Wide Fold looks like a passport when folded. Unlike the Galaxy Folds, it’s smaller in height and wider in width. Unfolding the device turns it into a mini tablet, with a screen ratio favorable for browsing and entertainment.

Following the aluminum dummy units, we may soon see more mature dummies in the near future.

Samsung is expected to hold the Unpacked event on July 22 in London. The next-generation foldable phones will be introduced along with the Galaxy Watch 9 and Watch Ultra 2 as well as the Android 17-based One UI 9.

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Samsung “Coral in Focus” campaign, built around Ocean Mode, the underwater imaging feature baked into newer Galaxy phones, has picked up a stack of Global industry recognition.

The biggest gets: Gold in the “Best Sustainability or Conservation Initiative” category at Engage for Good’s 2026 Halo Awards, a Coastal and Island Culture Award at the 23rd International Ocean Film Festival for the companion documentary, and a spot on Fast Company’s 2026 Most Innovative Companies list.

Samsung, nonprofit Seatrees, and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego have spent real time doing actual field work.

Partners and local communities across Costa Rica, Fiji, the Galapagos Islands, Indonesia, and the United States have been handed Ocean Mode-equipped Galaxy devices and underwater housings.

They use them to capture high-resolution underwater imagery, which then feeds into 3D photogrammetric reef models. Practical. Scalable. Cheaper than dragging DSLR rigs into the ocean.

Samsung, Seatrees, and Scripps have driven meaningful impact across restoration sites. Over 20,000 coral fragments have been planted to date, and over 80 3D reef models have been built to support monitoring and research efforts.

Ocean Mode is now available through Expert RAW, opening the feature to a wider Galaxy user base. Expensive diving equipment has historically kept serious reef documentation locked behind institutional budgets.

Samsung has framed all of this under its broader “Our Journey: Galaxy for the Planet” sustainability push, which also covers recycled materials in device manufacturing.

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I’ve used Samsung phones long enough to remember when TouchWiz felt like a chore. Laggy transitions, bloated features, inconsistent design. It was functional, but never polished. Fast forward to 2026, and One UI 8.5 is a different story. Clean, responsive, and surprisingly thoughtful in places; Samsung deserves that credit.

However, there’s still one part of the experience that feels stuck in the past. You don’t really get to say no.

You can delay updates, you can swipe away the notification, hit “later,” but try ignoring it long enough, and it turns into something else entirely. A persistent nudge, then a routine interruption; eventually, it starts to feel like a reminder.

Stable is better than new

Samsung’s update policy looks great on paper. Years of Android upgrades, monthly security patches, and faster rollouts with each generation. Enthusiasts asked for this, and Samsung delivered, but the reality is messier.

Not every update improves things. Some introduce battery drain. Others tweak performance in ways that don’t always land well. Thermal behavior shifts. Camera tuning changes.

If you’ve used multiple Galaxy devices over the years, you’ve likely seen this pattern. A phone that felt perfect out of the box slowly changes over time, not always for the better.

That’s why many users have adopted a simple rule: if it works, don’t touch it, yet One UI doesn’t let you live by that rule.

Not everyone wants Samsung’s timeline

Samsung’s current model assumes everyone wants to stay up to date. The latest version is always the best version. Those new features, like expanded Quick Share support that finally plays nicer with ecosystems outside Android, are universally desirable.

But that’s not how people actually use their phones.

Some updates immediately, some wait weeks, and others skip versions entirely. A lot of long-time users only install major Android upgrades and ignore everything in between.

Right now, Samsung treats all of those users the same. The update arrives, the notification appears, and the system keeps pushing until you give in.

It only takes one accidental tap on “Install now” to lose the setup you were happy with.

When updates feel like a risk

Over the years, there have been enough reports of updates causing battery degradation, overheating, or inconsistent performance that many users approach new firmware with caution.

Samsung updates are also a primary culprit behind the famous green line problem. Users update software and just a few hours or days later, their phone develop a green line, requiring a paid display replacement.

All I want from Samsung in One UI 9 is a simple toggle: “Pause updates indefinitely.”

Don’t hide it behind developer settings or bury it under layers of warnings. Just a clear option that lets users lock their current version until they decide otherwise.

Security patches could still be offered separately. Critical fixes could still be highlighted. But the final decision would rest with the user, not the notification system.

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Samsung’s 10th One UI 8.5 Beta for Galaxy S25 series is impressive enough, but there are still some features that separate it from the Galaxy S26 series.

Back in February, Samsung introduced the Galaxy S26 series and highlighted its best features, such as Now Nudge, AI-enhanced notifications with Summarise and Prioritise functions, 24MP mode to native camera and Horizon Lock.

Over the past couple of weeks, Samsung has brought various new features from the Galaxy S26 series to the Galaxy S25 series. It includes AirDrop connection, Call Screening, Creative Studio as well as enhanced Audio Eraser and Photo Assist.

Meanwhile, some of the best features are still absent, and there’s no scope for an imminent rollout anytime soon.

Now Nudge

AI-powered Now Nudge is what shows how Samsung is pushing into proactive AI in a serious way. Your phone starts suggesting actions before you even think about them. Not always perfect, but when it works, it feels one step ahead.

AI-enhanced notifications

Galaxy S26’s new Prioritise notifications and Summarise notifications fix something that’s been broken for years. When enabled, the Galaxy phone decides what matters and cleans up the rest in the notification panel.

24MP camera mode

The 24MP camera mode is a quiet upgrade that actually makes sense. Not everyone wants 200MP shots eating storage. This sits right in the middle of the full 200-megapixel resolution and the cropped 12-megapixel.

Shots taken with 24MP mode occupy less storage in the phone’s memory, while preserving details equivalent to the 50MP mode. Bringing it to the native camera app will benefit Galaxy users, especially those who shoot more often.

The Galaxy S25 hasn’t been ignored entirely

Call Screening is genuinely useful, especially in markets where spam calls are a daily headache. Creative Studio pushes AI editing beyond gimmicks. The AirDrop-style sharing is long overdue and works well.

Additionally, the recent expansion of Samsung’s enhanced Audio Eraser and Photo Assist shows that Samsung isn’t holding everything back. However, the core Galaxy S26 experience is currently limited to only those models.

Everything so far suggests Samsung is keeping those headline AI features exclusive, at least for now. If they ever land on the Galaxy S25, it’s more likely with One UI 9, and even that’s a maybe.

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Samsung is expected to wrap up One UI 8.5 Beta for the Galaxy S25 series, and prolong for older models such as the Galaxy S24 series.

The Korean company commenced the One UI 8.5 Beta Program in December 2025. The Galaxy S25 series was the first to join the Beta testing. March and April marked the testing activity’s expansion to more Galaxy lineups.

Samsung is said to start the One UI 8.5 rollout on April 30 in South Korea and on May 4 in the Global markets. Users of the Galaxy S25 series will shift to Stable version, while the testing will continue for older models.

Over the past couple of days, new Beta builds surfaced on the internet. The updates will be rolled out to the users of the Galaxy S24 series and the Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7.

Beyond that, Samsung would also release new Beta updates for the Galaxy S23 series and mid-range phones that have joined the Beta Program in April 2026.

Samsung will be busy with the Galaxy S25 series in May 2026. However, we may see the update rolling out for select older flagships too, such as the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7.

Once the stability of the firmware is verified through the Galaxy S25 series, expansion should progress swiftly. The end of May and the beginning of June will be important for users who are awaiting the One UI 8.5 update.

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Samsung’s April 2026 security update was supposed to be routine, but it’s turning into another battery drain headache for Galaxy S25 and S24 series users, and it’s happening far too soon after the Galaxy Watch mess.

Reports started surfacing days after the update hit the Galaxy S25 lineup in early April, first in South Korea, then elsewhere. Devices that used to last a full day are now dropping from 70 or even 90 percent to zero in a matter of hours.

Users are also noticing higher device temperatures during regular use, not heavy gaming or camera sessions. Some are even running into charging irregularities, where the phone either charges unusually slowly or heats up while plugged in.

Right now, there’s no official explanation from Samsung, which leaves users piecing things together. Two suspects keep coming up:

1. Knox Matrix
2. Mobile Services

Knox Matrix was updated quietly as part of the patch, and some users believe it’s triggering excessive background activity, possibly tied to cross-device syncing or security checks.

Linking to Mobile Services, a few users tracked unusually high data usage from these system apps after the update, suggesting something is constantly communicating with Samsung’s servers.

Users have tried the usual troubleshooting steps.

Booting into Safe Mode, clearing the cache partition, enabling battery saver, even rolling back or disabling certain services. Some report temporary relief. Others see no change at all.

Some users claim Safe Mode helped reset whatever was misbehaving, but once back to normal mode, the drain often returns. Samsung will likely push a follow-up patch.

Related article:

• Samsung Keyboard patch fixes battery drain on Galaxy phones

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Samsung appears to be quietly reworking one of the most overlooked parts of its software experience, and this time, it could actually matter in daily use. One UI 9 is apparently upgrading Now Brief with extended Weather details.

According to a new leak from Tarun Vats, the Now Brief in One UI 9 is getting an extended weather view that shows the entire week at a glance.

The latest leak from One UI 9 shows a more practical weather card embedded directly into the Now Brief feed, with the latest version stretching into a full weekly forecast.

Temperatures, rain probability, and visual indicators are all packed into a single card that feels designed for quick scanning rather than deep interaction.

In One UI 7, the Now Brief concept leaned heavily on “right now” data. Weather was present, but it was basic, often requiring a tap into the full app for anything beyond immediate conditions.

One UI 8 refined the layout and added a bit more context, but it still stopped short of offering a true planning tool. One UI 8.5 also improves the experience, but One UI 9 seems to change that mindset.

It may sound like a small tweak on paper, but in practice, this kind of refinement is what separates a good software experience from one that actually sticks.

If Now Brief continues in this direction, it could quietly become one of the most useful features on Galaxy devices, not because it is flashy, but because it gets the basics right.

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Samsung has reportedly begun the firmware development for the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2. The company is working on two premium smartwatches for 2026, including a Galaxy Watch 9 and a Galaxy Watch Ultra 2.

The new smartwatches will likely be unveiled alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Z Flip 8, and Z Fold 8 Wide in July this year. Galaxy Watch 8 will get a successor as usual, but the Classic model may be on hold in the year 2026.

Previously, the internal firmware of Galaxy Watch 9 was spotted on Samsung’s server, indicating the beginning of development. Now, the initial firmware for Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 (BT and 4G/5G) has appeared, via Aptivi.

• Watch Ultra 2 (Bluetooth) – L710XXU0AZDB
• Watch Ultra 2 (LTE/5G) – L715NKOU0AZDB

Qualcomm recently introduced the Snapdragon Wear Elite chipset for next-gen Wear OS devices. The company also confirmed that the next-gen Samsung watches will be equipped with its advanced wearable platform.

Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is said to launch with 5G network compatibility for the first time. However, the availability may be limited and vary by region.

Samsung has been using Exynos W series chips in the Watch for recent years. The company may not entirely dump its evolving portfolio for Qualcomm. That said, we could see the Galaxy Watch 9 adopting the Exynos W platform.

The next Unpacked is rumored to take place on July 22, 2026. The venue could not be Seoul or San Francisco, but London. Samsung eyes the European smartphone market and that’s how the event is considered in the UK.

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You may have been noticing a battery drain problem on Galaxy phones, but never suspected that Samsung Keyboard could be the culprit.

Users of Galaxy phones reported a battery drain problem in the Community forum, and Samsung Keyboard turned out to be the cause. The company’s moderator confirmed it to multiple users, but there’s good news, too.

Samsung phones are decent at battery life, but a software-driven bug can ruin everything. The same happened with the Samsung Keyboard app. Well, the problem has been addressed, and an update is rolling out through Galaxy Store.

The moderator advised Samsung users to update the Keyboard app to version 5.9.30.81. This build carries a fix for the problem that was draining the battery.

This rollout reiterates why Samsung reminds users to keep updating system apps to the latest versions for an optimal experience. Phones don’t just play with operating system, but apps play a key role in providing the experience.

Samsung has also rolled out the April 2026 security update to Galaxy devices. The patch includes fixes for forty-seven CVE and SVE items. Updating the Keyboard app will further elevate security and battery life on Galaxy.

So, whether you’ve encountered a battery drain or not, it’s recommended to update the Samsung Keyboard app on your Galaxy device. Open Settings of Samsung Keyboard or Galaxy Store to install the latest version of the app.

April 30 could mark the beginning of the Stable One UI 8.5 update rollout. It will first appear for the Galaxy S25 series, probably in South Korea, with Global expansion reportedly taking place starting the 4th of next month.

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A new legal challenge in the US is targeting Samsung foldable phones, with claims that could have serious implications if they hold up in court.

Lepton Computing LLC has filed a patent infringement lawsuit (via SeoulWire) against Samsung Electronics and its US subsidiary in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.

The complaint alleges that Samsung Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip foldable phones, along with its new Galaxy Z TriFold, infringe on a portfolio of nine patents tied to foldable smartphone technology.

The patents cited in the filing cover a wide range of enabling technologies that define modern foldables. This includes hardware structure, hinge design, and display protection, but also software behavior.

One key example is App Continuity, where an app seamlessly transitions between the outer and inner displays depending on whether the device is folded or unfolded.

The complaint also details how internal components are arranged within tight spatial constraints. Sensors, magnets, cameras, and speakers must all coexist with a flexible OLED panel that bends within a controlled radius.

Lepton positions itself as an early pioneer in foldable devices. It also points to a prototype device called the “Lepton Flex,” which it describes as the first foldable smartphone developed in the US.

The company is targeting newer generations, starting from the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and later.

All of these remain allegations and requests. The court has not made any determination yet. For Samsung, this is another high-stakes legal battle in a category it effectively brought into the mainstream.

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Samsung is on the verge of facing an 18-day labor strike over a bonus dispute, which could potentially make RAM and memory even more expensive. Internal estimates put potential strike losses at up to 30 trillion won (about 20.32 billion).

Rising AI demand has already made general-purpose DRAM and NAND flash memory chips pricier, and a potential Samsung labor union strike could worsen the situation further.

The strike

The Samsung Electronics branch of the Samsung Group Super Enterprise Labor Union held a rally at the Pyeongtaek campus on the 23rd, with around 40,000 people showing up.

The union, which now counts more than 76,100 members and represents the first majority union at Samsung, is demanding that 15% of annual operating profit be distributed as performance bonuses.

The potential damage

Here’s the part the headlines aren’t emphasizing: 18 days is probably a floor, not a ceiling.

If cleanroom operations and equipment maintenance halt for any significant stretch, engineers say it takes over a month just to restore normal operating conditions.

During a memory supercycle, when the entire industry is sprinting to ship as much product as possible, a month-long slowdown compounds into something much uglier.

SK Hynix and Micron are watching this closely. If Samsung’s production stumbles, both stand to collect a premium on high-performance server DRAM and enterprise SSDs

Union leader Choi Seung-ho said Samsung would see the production losses in numbers if it kept treating workers like figures on a spreadsheet.

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Don’t be surprised if you see the Galaxy S28 Pro and/or Ultra launching with a curved display, as Apple is reportedly exploring this radical redesign for the iPhone 20.

According to Weibo leaker DigitalChatStation, Apple plans to use a quad-curved display in the iPhone 20 next year, and Samsung might consider bringing it to the Galaxy S28 Pro or Ultra, just an assumption.

Apple surprised the industry with the 10th anniversary iPhone, and the next shock is being planned for the 20th anniversary model. iPhone 18 Pro is coming this year, and Apple will bring iPhone 20 in 2027, skipping iPhone 19.

The Cupertino giant is collaborating with the Korean company to develop a four-sided micro-curved display panel. The idea is currently in an early phase, and we may see a shift too, as the tentative launch is more than a year away.

Apple plans to bring a bezel-less design to the iPhone 20. The company has actively trimmed the thickness of bezels, but the next year’s model may completely eliminate that letdown by featuring quad-curved display tech.

Additionally, the iPhone’s screen may ditch the legacy polarizer layer for a pol-less design. This technological shift could offer extended brightness. Besides, the thickness of the screen will be reduced, and efficiency will improve.

Samsung is accused of blindly copying Apple in recent years. Removal of the charging adapter, adoption, and elimination of titanium frame are recent examples. The display redesign may also be explored for the following Galaxy model.

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Following the initial drop, Samsung’s Tizen 9 update, officially branded as One UI Tizen, is spreading to 2023 TV models across more regions.

The headline feature is a redesigned interface that pulls Samsung’s phone design language onto the TV. Fonts, icons, pop-ups, settings menus, all of it has been reworked to feel consistent with One UI on your Galaxy device.

Every UI element in Tizen 9 shrunk compared to what came before it, and on a modest-sized Samsung TV or from a sofa ten feet back, parts of the interface can become genuinely difficult to read.

To Samsung’s credit, an accessibility fix is already baked in (via SamMobile). Go to Settings, then All Settings, then General and Privacy, then Accessibility. From there, enable Zoom Menu and Text, which enlarges most interface elements fast.

Shipping a major UI update where the default experience breaks readability for a chunk of your user base isn’t a proud moment.

Head to Settings, then All Settings, then Support, then Software Update, then Update Now. Don’t expect much, as the rollout has been uneven, with neighbors owning identical TVs reporting wildly different availability.

Worth knowing: Samsung’s 2026 TV lineup ships with a newer One UI Tizen version out of the box, with agentic AI features baked in from the start.

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Ahead of Samsung and Apple, Huawei unveiled a new foldable with a wide display design. Samsung’s reveal is anticipated in July 2026, but a tipster just leaked a design comparison of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide with its Huawei counterpart.

For years, Samsung stuck to a tall and narrow cover display. That approach had its logic, but it never felt fully natural in daily use.

With the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide, Samsung is finally stepping away from that identity. When you line it up against Huawei’s latest attempt, the shift becomes obvious – via Ice Universe.

Huawei Pura X Max

• Width 166.5 mm | Height 120.0 mm
• Thickness unfolded 5.2 mm | Thickness folded 11.2 mm
• Folded width 85 mm
• Outer display ratio 4.4:3 | Inner display ratio 4.24:3

Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide

• Width 161.4 mm | Height 123.9 mm
• Thickness unfolded 4.3 mm | Thickness folded 9.8 mm
• Folded width 82.2 mm
• Outer display ratio 4.7:3 | Inner display ratio 4:3

Huawei still pushes a wider footprint; when folded, the Pura X Max sits at 85 mm, which is closer to a traditional slab phone than Samsung’s 82.2 mm. The Fold 8 Wide is noticeably wider than older Folds, but it stops short of becoming bulky.

When it comes to thickness, Samsung comes in at just 4.3 mm when unfolded, while Huawei sits at 5.2 mm. This difference changes how the device feels entirely. It feels lighter in the hand, less tablet-like, and more refined.

When folded, Samsung holds the lead at 9.8 mm compared to Huawei’s 11.2 mm. That gap is even more noticeable in your pocket. A thinner foldable is easier to carry, sits flatter, and simply feels less like a compromise.

Samsung’s outer display ratio of 4.7:3 is another big move. Huawei still leans slightly wider with 4.4:3, but Samsung’s tuning feels more intentional. The inner display at 4:3 also signals a cleaner tablet-like experience.

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide might not be the widest foldable out there, but it is arguably the most balanced one yet.

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Samsung shared exclusive visuals right from its exhibition at the Milan Design Week. The pictures and videos spotlight artificial intelligence, foldables, and wearables.

The company took over Superstudio Piu with 12 immersive zones built around its “Expressive Design” philosophy, and the whole thing reads less like a trade show and more like Samsung trying to convince you it has feelings.

You walk in, and the first thing that hits you is The Welcome Show. Multiple devices, synchronized across a shared performance, each paired with its own screen.

From there, the exhibition moves into Unfold Your Story, a zone dedicated entirely to Samsung’s foldables displayed across a spectrum of colors.

The Wearable Intelligence and Culinary Intelligence zones are exactly what they sound like. Wearables that track your body and AI that helps you cook.

The Forum zone hosts live discussions with Samsung’s design leadership alongside video clips surfacing perspectives that rarely make it into press releases.

Adjacent to it, the XR Experience zone built on Android XR invites visitors into Galaxy XR territory. Transparent Symphony puts Samsung’s transparent Micro LED displays to work, dissolving the boundary between screen and space.

The exhibition closes with The Goodbye Show, where Luna, Samsung’s AI home device, waves you out.

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After an innovative back step, Samsung appears to be in the mode of course correction. Samsung is developing the Galaxy Z Fold 8 foldable smartphone, and the cover screen features a smaller camera hole than the Z Fold 7.

Samsung insider IceUniverse just revealed that the Galaxy Z Fold 8 selfie camera hole is just 2.5mm (diameter). It’s significantly smaller than the 3.7mm of the Galaxy Z Fold 7, with CAD rendering showcasing the difference.

The source hints at a technological shift inside Samsung, which may have led the hole to shrink. This change will offer even more functional estate on the cover screen of the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold smartphone this year.

Samsung introduced an under-display camera with the Galaxy Z Fold 3. The technology evolved gradually until the Galaxy Z Fold 6. However, Samsung removed it, starting with the Z Fold 7, and the Z Fold 8 may follow the legacy.

The CAD image aims to show the difference in the camera hole’s diameter. If other aspects are true, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 will feature thinner side bezels. The camera system design may remain the same as the Galaxy Z Fold 7.

Samsung is expected to unveil three foldable phones this year. A new Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide could join the Z Fold 8 and Z Flip 8 this July. The company may hold an Unpacked event on July 22 in London, a strategic shift in venue.

Related article:

• Samsung’s hinge rethink hints at thinner TriFold, Fold and Flip phones

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Qualcomm posted a video on X recapping every Samsung flagship that ran on Snapdragon, which ends up teasing the potential Galaxy S27 Ultra chipset.

Sixteen years is a long time in this industry, and Qualcomm knows it. The video posted by the chipmaker ends with the words, “and there’s so much more to come.”

Samsung has been playing chipset politics for years.

The Galaxy S26 series brought Exynos back to the lineup after a brief exile, though the company kept Snapdragon inside the S26 Ultra. Smart move, given how badly some Exynos launches have gone historically.

With whispers circulating that Samsung could eventually push its in-house silicon into every slot across the S series, Qualcomm clearly felt it was time to speak up, and it chose nostalgia as the weapon.

Earlier reports already pointed toward Samsung using the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro, internally tagged as the SM8975, inside the Galaxy S27 Ultra. Samsung won’t unveil the S27 series until early next year, so there’s still runway for plans to shift.

The US chip designer is apparently preparing two variants of its next flagship chip, and the Pro version looks like Samsung’s pick for its top-tier model.

Qualcomm’s posting video at this moment isn’t random. These companies don’t post retrospective timelines out of sentiment. They post them to apply pressure, to signal confidence, to remind a partner publicly that leaving would be a story.

The Ultra has always been where Samsung puts its best foot forward. Qualcomm wants to make sure that the foot is wearing its chip.

Related article:

• Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 and Pro leak hints at Galaxy S27 performance roadmap

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An alleged Galaxy Z Flip 7 has made its debut on Geekbench with Android 17-based One UI 9 operating system. This is the same software Samsung has been developing for the Galaxy S26 series inside its software labs.

Galaxy Z Flip 7 running One UI 9 atop Android 17 scored decent scores on Geekbench. The device reached 2275 in single-core and 7843 in multi-core. It’s said that the Flip phone was running firmware version F766USQU9CZDF.

Geekbench 6.7.0 scores

• Single-Core Score: 2275
• Multi-Core Score: 7843

Samsung’s SM-F766U entry is live on Geekbench, but it could also be a spoof listing, as mentioned by tipster MohammedKhatri. Judging from the chip specs, it seems a genuine device, powered by a deca-core Exynos 2600 processor.

Geekbench scores are largely identical to the models running Stable One UI 8. As the development progresses, the scores will improve as well.

Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Galaxy Z Fold 7 will receive One UI 9 Beta with Android 17 in the near future. The Beta Program will first arrive for the Galaxy S26 series. Meanwhile, the software will make its official debut with the Z8 series.

Google recently released Android 17 QPR1 Beta 1 for Pixel phones. One UI 8.5 is reportedly built on Android 16’s QPR2 version. The next major upgrade may not be actually major, just like the Android 16-based One UI 8.

Galaxy Z Flip 7’s entry follows the Galaxy S26 Ultra on Geekbench. We are actively seeing early visuals from the internal One UI 9 firmware. The development is going well, with the addition of new features also progressing.

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Samsung Notes app is getting a major update, and that finally adds the long-overdue support for Tables. What makes the update more interesting is the addition of new pen options along with the screen visibility option.

For a long time, Samsung Notes has been solid for quick scribbles and S Pen users, but it lagged behind when it came to structured note-taking.

Tables arrive in Samsung Notes

The biggest addition is table support; it sounds basic, but it completely changes how you can use the app.

You can now:

• Organize study notes in rows and columns
• Create simple schedules or planners
• Compare information without turning your notes into a messy wall of text

Having tables built directly into Samsung Notes keeps everything in one place. Until now, many users had to switch to apps like Excel or third-party note apps just to do this.

New pen tools

Samsung has also added two new pen types:

1. Pencil
2. Highlighter

The pencil gives a more textured, sketch-like feel, which is great for rough work or diagrams. The highlighter, on the other hand, is perfect for marking up PDFs or emphasizing key points without ruining readability.

Improved note creation menu: You can now long-press to quickly import PDFs, and there are new note style options. This cuts down a few unnecessary steps when starting a new note.

“Fit to screen” view option: This is one of those features you don’t think about until you need it. Notes now adjust better to your screen, making reading and reviewing content more comfortable, especially on larger Galaxy devices.

Cleaner settings screen: The app settings have been reorganized, which makes navigation less confusing.

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Samsung MultiStar is getting updated, and the latest release enhances the widget list. Enhancements come through version 10.4.06, and the changelog indicates that the update is aimed at the cover screen of foldable phones.

MultiStar is one of those hidden gems inside the Good Lock suite that quietly upgrades how you use your Galaxy phone.

It focuses on multitasking, letting you push beyond Samsung’s default limits with features like better split-screen control, more flexible pop-up windows, and improved app compatibility.

If you’re someone who juggles multiple apps at once, MultiStar makes the whole experience feel faster, smoother, and far more customizable than stock Android.

With the latest MultiStar update, Samsung is addressing the widget list issue, which was preventing accurate visibility in the cover launcher. Users of Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip phones should notice even better functionality.

• To update MultiStar, open Good Lock > Plugins > Download.

Samsung foldables running either One UI 8.0 or One UI 8.5, both based on Android 16. One UI version 8.5 is currently in Beta, which is expected to start rolling out to the Stable Galaxy S26 channel, starting May this year.

The major One UI 8.5 update elevates the Good Lock experience. However, the MultiStar module hasn’t received any notable update, so far. Hope Samsung will consider enhancing the multi-window experience even further.

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Galaxy S26 helped Samsung retain its smartphone share, with Apple entering the top five in India for the first time in Q1 2026.

India’s smartphone market had a rough start to 2026. Shipments dropped 5% year on year to 30.9 million units in the first quarter, according to Omdia.

vivo held the top spot for a seventh straight quarter, shipping 6.3 million units for 20% market share. Samsung came in second at 5.1 million units and 16% share, with the Galaxy S26 arriving late in the quarter and giving the numbers a jolt.

OPPO, excluding realme and OnePlus, grabbed third place with 4.7 million units and 15% share, making it the fastest-growing vendor in the top five. Xiaomi and Apple rounded out the rankings at 3.8 million and 2.9 million units, respectively.

This is the first time Apple has cracked India’s top five in the first quarter. For a market where the vast majority of volumes still live below INR 20,000, Apple’s placing fifth isn’t a curiosity.

Samsung’s performance here tells a familiar story.

The Galaxy S26 landed toward the end of Q1, meaning its full weight doesn’t really show up in these figures. The mid-range A-series got refreshed; entry-level workhorses like the A07 and A17 kept the volumes honest.

Sanyam Chaurasia, Principal Analyst at Omdia, framed it as a phased approach, where Samsung deliberately avoided blanket price hikes to protect channel absorption and demand momentum.

Omdia is forecasting double-digit shipment declines for India across the full year. Entry-level devices are already seeing price increases of 18 to 20% as memory inflation forces a hard reset of the economics.

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On April 24, 2026, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S26 Family Festa to mark the Family Month in South Korea. It includes offers, cashbacks, and a gaming-themed pop-up on the Galaxy S26 series alongside Kyrene Edition accessories.

According to the announcement, Samsung will give away a KRW 50,000 (~ $35) worth of game item discount coupons. Consumers who make a purchase by May 10 will receive this coupon, which can be redeemed on the Galaxy Store.

Samsung also has a cashback program, which offers KRW 55,000 (~ $38) to Galaxy S26 buyers who subscribe to the “New Galaxy AI Subscription Club.”

Buyers are advised to check the detailed terms and conditions on Samsung.com to ensure their benefits and cashback amount.

As part of strengthening its experiential marketing, Samsung will operate a pop-up store themed around the popular RPG game “Honkai: Star Rail” at Samsung Store Hongdae from April 24 to May 5.

The pop-up is designed as a hands-on gaming experience zone using the Galaxy S26 series. Visitors can take part in various events and stamp missions in spaces decorated with in-game backgrounds and characters.

Additionally, Samsung will also sell 2,000 limited units of the “Galaxy S26 Ultra Kyrene Accessory Edition,” which includes items such as magnet cases, acrylic music boxes, and smartphone stands featuring game characters.

Jung Hojin, executive vice president and head of Korea at Samsung Electronics, said, “To mark Family Month, we prepared a variety of promotions that families can enjoy together,” and added, “We hope you enjoy not only the powerful performance of the Galaxy S26 series but also the additional purchase benefits.”

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