What you need to know
- Samsung is finally rolling out stable One UI 8.5 after four months of beta testing.
- The Galaxy S25 series and S25 Edge get the update first, with older flagships and foldables joining the rollout next.
- Feature availability depends on your device model and region, so not every Galaxy phone gets the same upgrades.
After four months of beta testing and seeing the Galaxy S26 series get all the attention, Samsung is finally letting the rest of its flagship phones join the One UI 8.5 party, although the rollout will happen in stages.
Starting today, May 6, 2026, Samsung is releasing the stable update for eligible Galaxy devices. If you have a Galaxy S25, S25 Plus, S25 Ultra, or the new S25 Edge, you’ll get it first. Next up are the Galaxy S24 series, Z Fold 7, Z Flip 7, and the Galaxy Tab S11 and Tab S10 lineups.
The update will arrive first in South Korea, then roll out to other regions like North America, Europe, and parts of Asia.
Galaxy AI takes center stage
Along with the usual improvements to the interface and performance, Samsung is focusing on Galaxy AI. There are new communication and creative tools included. However, not every phone will get all the AI features. The full set is only for Galaxy S, Tab S, and Z series devices.
Owners of Galaxy A, F, and M series phones from the last three generations will still get new features, but these will be under the “Awesome Intelligence” label. Keep in mind that the features you receive depend on your specific model and region.
Again, the rollout will happen in waves, so if you don’t see the update yet, it should appear within the next week or two. Samsung has confirmed that more devices and regions will be added soon.
Android Central's Take
In my view, One UI 8.5 is important not because of the AI features, but because Samsung needed a smoother and more reliable rollout after months of confusion. The update brings real improvements that should make Galaxy phones easier and less frustrating to use every day. However, Samsung made this launch more difficult than necessary. The long beta testing, unclear timelines, and constant rumors made users lose confidence in the process. At this point, most Galaxy owners are probably just happy to stop checking Samsung Members so often, rather than being excited about another AI feature that summarizes notifications they never wanted summarized.
