Galaxy S26 FE’s One UI 9 Development Continues Behind the Scenes

Samsung appears to be moving quickly with the development of the Galaxy S26 FE. A new firmware build has now been spotted on both Korean and US servers, strongly suggesting that the phone is already being tested internally with Android 17-based One UI 9 ahead of its official launch. It may not arrive until the second half of the year, though.

Galaxy S26 FE Android 17 firmware spotted on Samsung’s servers

We recently spotted Android 17-based firmware for the Galaxy S26 FE on Samsung’s servers in the US and Korea. The latest build carries firmware version AZE5. While this sighting reveals nothing significant, it confirms the ongoing development of the new Fan Edition smartphone. Samsung is preparing to ship it with One UI 9.

The Korean firm has already launched the One UI 9 beta program for the Galaxy S26 lineup in several regions, including the US and Korea. The software introduces smoother animations, updated Quick Panel controls, stronger security protections, accessibility improvements, and new Galaxy AI features. Samsung will introduce the new version with its upcoming foldables in late July.

This also means the Galaxy S26 FE won’t arrive before July. In fact, it isn’t expected until September or October. That is when Samsung should also begin a wider rollout of One UI 9, including a stable release for the Galaxy S26 flagships. It should launch beta programs for more devices in the coming weeks.

While the Galaxy S26 FE may ship with Samsung’s latest software experience, it may not get the most powerful hardware. More specifically, the phone may feature last year’s Exynos 2500 chipset instead of the new Exynos 2600. Rumors also hint at Exynos worldwide, with no Snapdragon variant, though that’s no surprise. Stay tuned for further updates.