Before the company’s new foldables are released this summer, owners of S25s can test Samsung’s version of Android 16 today.
Samsung’s customized version of Android 16, One UI 8, is now available for beta testing. Users in the US, UK, Germany, and South Korea can now access the beta on the Galaxy S25, Plus, and Ultra—but oddly not the new S25 Edge.
Not surprisingly, Samsung is highlighting the AI elements of the OS upgrade, which allegedly include increased customisation and better multimodal capabilities. Even said, the company’s release and update changelog don’t go into great depth on AI advancements other than performance enhancements that make AI Select usable right away and do away with the prior startup delay.
In keeping with Google’s focus on Android 16 enhancing performance and user experience on tablets and foldables, One UI 8 has also been “optimized for the unique form factors across the Galaxy product portfolio.” One such modification is a new split-screen feature that allows you to drag one app to the edge of the screen while you concentrate on another, resembling the OnePlus Open’s multitasking capabilities.
The layout of Samsung’s Reminder app has been updated to facilitate the organization and sharing of to-do lists; Quick Share has been given a more straightforward interface; and Android 16 now supports Auracast, an accessibility feature that enables hearing aids and certain earbuds, such as the Galaxy Buds 3, to swiftly connect to shared audio streams like public announcement systems or concert audio feeds.
Samsung claims that One UI 8 will debut this summer along with its upcoming foldable phones, most likely the Z Fold 7 and Flip 7. The beta is currently accessible via the Samsung Members app.
With significant UX and AI upgrades, the company claims that the new launch “initiates a new rhythm for Samsung’s software evolution.” Although it’s unclear, that seems like excellent news for those who have been annoyed by the lengthy, months-long process of One UI 7’s release to the majority of devices.
