This may sound ironic, but Samsung has already begun One UI 8 development. Yes, we know the company has yet to release the Android 15-based One UI 7 update for older Galaxy devices. However, the first internal Android 16 test build for the Galaxy S25 series surfaced on its servers today. If anything, this could mean a timely release of the next major OS update for Galaxy users.
Samsung has kicked off One UI 8 development
Tipster Tarun Vats recently spotted an Android 16-based firmware build for the Galaxy S25 lineup on Samsung’s servers. Carrying the build number S938BXXU1BYC1 for the Ultra model, this is the first One UI 8 test firmware for the new flagships, Vats confirms. The source adds that Samsung has kicked off One UI 8 development “two months earlier than usual.”
Google has already confirmed that Android 16 will hit the stable channel in June, much earlier than Android 15, which arrived in October last year. It appears Samsung is jumping on the bandwagon to ensure a timely release for One UI 8 later this year. While we do not expect the update to be available in June itself, a Q3 2025 release would be sweet, or at least early in the fourth quarter.
In fact, Samsung might still be rolling out One UI 7 in June. It plans to begin the stable rollout in April. Considering the sheer volume of devices it needs to update to One UI 7, the company might need a good few months to complete the process. We are still awaiting an official update roadmap.
To recall, Samsung began One UI 6 beta testing in August 2023 and released the stable version in late October. One UI 7, meanwhile, entered the beta phase in December 2024 and is still pending the stable release. If the company manages to roll back to the 2023 timeline with One UI 8, Galaxy users shouldn’t have many complaints. But anything beyond that, and Samsung risks hurting its loyal fanbase. Time will tell what the Korean behemoth has planned for One UI 8.0.
