Samsung’s current flagship series, the Galaxy S25 models, are already participating in the One UI 8 beta program. However, a recent report indicates that the company is working on an all-new One UI 8.5 for the upcoming Galaxy S26 series.

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7 are scheduled to launch with One UI 8 out of the box. Meanwhile, according to Tarun Vats on X, Samsung has begun developing One UI 8.5 for the next-generation Galaxy S26 series.

If the reports are accurate, this would be a significant step for Samsung. Historically, the company has followed a pattern of releasing the standard One UI x.0, followed by One UI x.1 and One UI x.1.1. However, this time, it seems that Samsung is changing its approach.

The last time Samsung released a One UI x.5 version was in 2020, with One UI 2.5. The One UI x.5 build typically brings more noticeable features and changes compared to the incremental upgrades One UI x.1 and One UI x.1.1. It appears that Samsung is reverting to this update strategy with the introduction of One UI 8.5, starting with the upcoming Galaxy S26 flagships.

The One UI 8.5 is expected to run on Android 16 and will likely be followed by an update to Android 17 later next year. However, details about One UI 8.5 for the Galaxy S26 series are currently scarce, and fans will have to wait until the latest build is available for internal testing.

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