SEOUL — Samsung’s transition into the “AI-First” era has reached a fever pitch this week as the One UI 8.5 Beta program expands to millions of older devices. The update, based on Android 16, is being hailed as a “software-driven hardware upgrade,” effectively trickling down premium features that debuted earlier this year on the Galaxy S26 series to the S25, S24, and even select A-series models.
The most recent rollout—Beta 10 (Build ZZDD)—hit Galaxy S25 devices on April 20, signaling that a stable release is imminent.
The “S26 Toolkit” for Everyone
The headline of One UI 8.5 is the democratization of high-end AI tools. Features previously locked to 2026 flagship hardware are now being optimized for older NPU architectures:
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Upgraded Photo Assist: Users can now edit images using text prompts. This generative tool allows you to add objects, change backgrounds, or “import” people from other photos into a single frame without needing to save intermediate versions.
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AI Call Screening: An AI-generated voice can now answer unknown calls, transcribe the conversation in real-time, and provide a summary—allowing the user to decide whether to pick up.
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Enhanced Audio Eraser: Content creators can now isolate and reduce specific background noises (like wind or traffic) in real-time across apps like YouTube, Instagram, and Netflix.
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Creative Studio: A standalone design app that lets users generate custom stickers, wallpapers, and invitation cards from scratch using simple descriptions.
Expanded Device Eligibility
Samsung has significantly widened the net for the April beta phase. For the first time, a mid-range A-series device has entered the premium beta cycle.
| Series | Status | Key Feature Highlight |
| Galaxy S25 Series | Beta 10 (Near Stable) | Peak stability; “Ocean Mode” for underwater photography. |
| Galaxy S24 Series | Beta 3 | Call Screening and Live Transcription support. |
| Galaxy Z Fold 7 / Flip 7 | Beta 4 | “Now Bar” color glitch fixes and AI multitasking. |
| Galaxy A36 5G | Initial Beta (India) | First A-series device with integrated Galaxy AI. |
| Galaxy S23 / Z Fold 5 | Phased Rollout | Bringing Bixby’s “Natural Language” upgrades to 2023 hardware. |
“Liquid Glass” Visual Overhaul
Beyond AI, One UI 8.5 introduces the “Liquid Glass” design language. The interface features new frosted glass effects, 3D app icons, and noticeably larger Quick Settings toggles designed for easier touch targeting on large-screen devices like the Ultra and Fold.
Quick Share Meets AirDrop?
In a surprising move, One UI 8.5 Beta introduces a “Share with Apple devices” protocol within Quick Share. While still in testing, the feature aims to streamline the historically clunky file-sharing process between Galaxy and iOS users, though it currently requires the latest Google Play services.
Stable Release Roadmap
According to internal support leaks and reliable industry sources:
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April 30, 2026: Stable rollout begins for the Galaxy S25 series in South Korea.
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May 4, 2026: Global stable rollout (US, India, UK) for S25 and S24 flagships.
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Late May 2026: Stable release for Galaxy Z Fold/Flip 7 and Z Fold/Flip 6.
With Beta 10 addressing critical bugs—including the infamous “green line” camera glitch in 4K recording—Samsung appears ready to exit the longest beta program in its history and fully commit to its “AI Phone” vision for the remainder of 2026.
