Summary
Samsung has been busy releasing a slew of One UI 8 betas based on Android 16 for phones and Wear OS 6 for Galaxy watches. While the last One UI 8 beta for the Galaxy S25 series was back in June, today we learned that the fourth and likely final beta could arrive next week.
In March, we heard thatSamsung had started internal testing of One UI 8, putting the rollout months ahead of the slow One UI 7 update. The first One UI 8 (based on Android 16)beta kicked off in Mayfor the Galaxy S25, andthe third update, packed with bug fixes and new features, hit devices at the end of June. Since then, we haven’t seen much movement aside fromWear OS 6 hitting the Galaxy Watch Ultrathis week.
Thankfully, we now have more details about what might be the last Galaxy Android 16 beta before its global release. According to a post onSamsung’s official community forumsin Korea by a community manager, the company plans to release another update next week. It said, “We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused by the delay in updates after Beta 3. We are currently preparing Beta 4 and are doing our best to release it next week.”
It’s worth noting that the Samsung Beta Operations Manager didn’t give us an exact date, and there’s always a chance a small bug or change pushes things out a little further. That said, the all-newGalaxy Z Fold 7andFlip 7are hitting store shelves with One UI 8 pre-installed, so it makes sense for another Galaxy S25 Android 16 beta to arrive a few days later.
So, what can we expect from the fourth Samsung Galaxy One UI 8 beta? Well, the latest reports suggest avastly improved Now Bar, which should double app support by the end of the year. Yes, expect dozens of apps to work with the Now Bar. Samsung is also making changes to the Now Brief feature and Auracast audio streams, and updating several of its apps, such as Reminders, Clock, and other user interface elements.
Remember that only Samsung’s latest Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25 Plus, and Galaxy S25 Ultra can try the One UI 8 beta. There’s a chance we could see other models, like the Galaxy Z Fold 6 or Galaxy S24 series up next, but that’s doubtful. Now that testing is almost complete for the Galaxy S25, we anticipate the company will turn its efforts to a full global rollout for other models in the lineup rather than beta programs.
As a reminder, those with a Galaxy S25 can fire up theSamsung Members app, enroll in the beta, and try Android 16 and One UI 8 early.
In closing, it’s still unclear when Samsung will start the official Android 16 update for its phones and tablets. However, given how early Google released Android 16 and how fast Samsung started its beta testing process, don’t be surprised if things kick off in mid- to late August. We’ll keep an eye out for more details and update as we learn more.
Samsung Galaxy S25
The Samsung Galaxy S25 is a powerful and compact smartphone with a 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display and a 120Hz refresh rate. It is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, 12GB of RAM, and a 4,000mAh battery with 25W Super Fast Charging.
