What's Next for Your Galaxy? One UI 8 May Arrive Sooner Than You Think!
Samsung's adoption of Android 15 hasn't been the swiftest compared to other Android manufacturers, largely due to the initial delays with One UI 7. However, the company has now begun to make significant progress. Potentially aiming to compensate, Samsung might also release One UI 8 earlier, aligning with the accelerated timeline of Android 16.
Samsung could follow Android 16's accelerated release
While Google has yet to fully unveil Android 16 at I/O 2025 in the coming weeks, Samsung has not officially confirmed anything regarding One UI 8, the expected skinned version of the next major Android update. However, information from a reliable leaker, Tarun Vats, suggests that Galaxy users might receive an early treat from the company, with One UI 8 potentially being released by Samsung as early as June.
This adjusted timeframe would likely coincide with Android 16's earlier release, with the Beta phase already concluded and the stable update expected to reach Pixel devices this month or in early June. It wouldn't be entirely surprising if Samsung follows suit with its One UI 8 Beta program, especially considering that OnePlus and Xiaomi have already commenced their Android 16 Beta programs.
At the same time, One UI 8 is anticipated to be a more progressive and modest update, rather than a significant step-up compared to One UI 7, which introduced major changes and features. This could allow Samsung to allocate fewer resources and effort to its Android 16 adoption compared to Android 15.
However, it's important to note that nothing is official or concrete as of this writing, with the leaker even suggesting that the speculated One UI 8 release window could change at any time and potentially be delayed. Even if released early, availability would still vary depending on the specific Galaxy model, with more recent devices, such as the Galaxy S25 Ultra (review), likely to receive the update first.
Apart from Android 16, another sub-major update, Android 16.1, is also expected towards the end of the year. However, Samsung and other brands might only make this available next year, with reports suggesting it could debut as One UI 8.5 alongside the Galaxy S26 series.
What to Expect from One UI 8
Regarding changes and features, One UI 8 is rumored to build upon One UI 7 but could also incorporate a few notable improvements. Among those already mentioned is a larger RAM allocation option with RAM Plus, Samsung's virtual RAM management feature. It might also adopt a new DeX desktop mode that more closely resembles the native Android counterpart.
Meanwhile, Google's Android 16 is set to bring new enhancements such as Live Updates with widgetized notifications, better camera controls utilization, and improvements in accessibility and privacy, among other features.
With Google I/O 2025 just under two weeks away, we are likely to hear more developments surrounding Android 16 and Samsung's potential One UI 8 release timeline. Do you think Samsung will adjust the One UI 8 release to be earlier than usual? We'd like to hear your thoughts in the comments.
Source: X/u/TarunVats
