I’m losing hope for One UI 8.5, but not for the reason you think

In case you’re wondering, this isn’t about criticizing what One UI 8.5 is as a software update. It’s about whether Samsung plans to let more Galaxy users try One UI 8.5 ahead of its official release.

I'm rapidly losing hope of that happening, which is a shame because One UI 8.5 is one of the most exciting One UI updates in years, even though it’s technically a minor release and not based on a newer version of Android.

It’s bad enough that Samsung is making everyone wait this long for the official One UI 8.5 release. And, based on how the beta program has gone for the Galaxy S25 series so far, I don’t see other devices getting access anytime soon.

To be fair, this wouldn’t be unprecedented. Samsung also took longer than usual to bring more devices into the beta program with both One UI 7 and One UI 8. The delay was especially pronounced with One UI 7.

Still, that doesn’t make the situation any less frustrating. Samsung’s beta strategy feels increasingly limiting with each new version of One UI, with everyone except owners of the latest Galaxy S flagship left waiting far longer than they used to, even when the update itself isn’t a major Android version jump.

One UI 8.5 isn’t small, even though it's a “.5” update. It brings noticeable changes to the user interface, along with meaningful improvements to existing features and functionality.

Samsung is also working on new Galaxy AI features that will debut on the Galaxy S26 series. From a marketing point of view, it makes sense for Samsung to time One UI 8.5's full rollout closer to the S26 launch.

Still, that doesn’t mean Samsung should keep most users waiting. Opening the beta to more devices wouldn’t hurt the Galaxy S26 launch. If anything, it would help Samsung iron out issues earlier and deliver a better final release.

There also seems to be something wrong with the beta itself. The fourth One UI 8.5 beta for the Galaxy S25 series is running late, after the first three betas arrived quickly. Reports suggest Samsung is dealing with serious bugs, which could be slowing things down.

And this is where communication becomes a problem. Samsung hinted in its official One UI 8.5 beta announcement that more devices would join later, but it never elaborated. Without clear updates, users are left guessing.

The bottom line is that it’s probably best not to expect the One UI 8.5 beta to expand to other devices. It could still happen, but there’s little to suggest it will happen anytime soon.

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Abhijeet Mishra - Editor-in-Chief

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First Samsung device: SGH-D500

Abhijeet's writing career started with guides for custom firmware for Samsung devices (including the original Galaxy S), and he moved to SamMobile in mid-2013 and worked up the ranks to Editor-in-chief. In addition to phones and mobile devices, his interests include gaming on both PC and console, PC hardware, and spending countless hours on YouTube watching videos on tech, movies, games, politics, and internet dramas.

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I’m rapidly losing hope for One UI 8.5, but not for the reason you think

Browse the latest Samsung offers

Abhijeet Mishra - Editor-in-Chief

[email protected]

First Samsung device: SGH-D500