If you’ve been using Samsung phones for a while, you probably remember the days of One UI 2.5. That was four years ago now. Since then, the company has more or less dropped the “.5” format in favor of simpler version jumps. Until now. Samsung is officially working on One UI 8.5, and yes, it’s skipping over 8.1 and 8.1.1 entirely. It’s a mid-cycle update, but not a minor one. And depending on how you look at it, it’s either a return to form—or an admission that One UI 8.0 left a bit too much unfinished. Either way, the .5 label is back.
When is One UI 8.5 arriving?
Samsung hasn’t locked in a date just yet, but current reports say One UI 8.5 will debut with the Galaxy S26 series, which is expected to land sometime in January or February 2026. That rollout will, most likely, be exclusive to the S26 models at launch. After that? Expect a gradual spread to recent Galaxy flagships, tablets, and—eventually—mid-range and budget models.
The new version will be based on Android 16, continuing Samsung’s typical pattern of merging Google’s core changes with its own interface and features. Whether those features will feel substantial or more like polish remains to be seen.
What’s actually new?
Samsung hasn’t detailed features yet. Not officially. But based on the .5 name and past rollouts, this version likely includes UI tweaks, camera app updates, efficiency improvements, and maybe a few AI-assisted tools for supported phones. It’s not expected to be revolutionary. And it doesn’t need to be. But for users frustrated with quirks in 8.0—or those still waiting on optimization for their specific model—this might feel more like a long-overdue refinement than a placeholder.
Who gets it?
The short answer? Almost everyone who got One UI 8.0. That includes all Samsung flagships released from 2022 onward, a healthy chunk of the A-series, and newer entries in the M, F, and Tab lines. The list below is based on the assumption that Samsung will follow its usual support roadmap—but, of course, things can shift.
We’ve broken it down by series for clarity:
Galaxy S series
- S25, S25+, S25 Ultra
- S25 Edge
- S24, S24+, S24 Ultra
- S24 FE
- S23, S23+, S23 Ultra
- S23 FE
- S22, S22+, S22 Ultra
- S21, S21+, S21 Ultra
- S21 FE
Z series
- Z Fold 7 (upcoming)
- Z Flip 7, Z Flip 7 SE (upcoming)
- Z Fold Special Edition
- Z Fold 6, Z Flip 6
- Z Fold 5, Z Flip 5
- Z Fold 4, Z Flip 4
Galaxy Tab series
- Tab S10+, Tab S10 Ultra
- Tab S10 FE, Tab S10 FE+
- Tab S9, S9+, S9 Ultra
- Tab S9 FE, S9 FE+
- Tab S8, S8+, S8 Ultra
- Tab S6 Lite (2024)
- Tab A9, A9+
- Tab Active 5, Active 5 Pro
A series
- A73
- A56, A55, A54, A53
- A36, A35, A34, A33
- A26, A25, A24, A12
- A16 (LTE/5G), A15 (LTE/5G), A14 (LTE/5G)
- A06 (LTE/5G)
Galaxy M series
- M56, M55, M55s, M54, M53
- M35, M34, M33
- M16, M15
- M06, M05
F series
- F56, F55, F54
- F34
- F16, F15, F14 (LTE)
- F06, F05
Galaxy XCover series
- XCover 7, XCover 7 Pro
- XCover 6 Pro
A quick note on naming and versioning
Interestingly, Samsung didn’t follow the pattern it used during the One UI 7 cycle. There was no One UI 7.1 or 7.1.1, largely because One UI 7 itself was delayed and didn’t leave enough room for incremental updates. This time, the company seems to be choosing a different route—a bigger, more noticeable version bump, possibly to reframe expectations or simply give 8.5 more room to shine. Whether this marks a new naming convention going forward isn’t clear. We’ve seen Samsung change strategy mid-cycle before.
In the meantime, if you’ve bought a Samsung device in the last two or three years—especially if it’s not entry-level—you’ll likely be on the list.
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