[False alarm] Galaxy S23 One UI 6.0 (Android 14) beta program starts now

Well, it seems we were right and Samsung Germany really did make a premature announcement, as it has now taken down the newsroom post that talked about the One UI 6.0 beta program. Here's hoping we won't have to wait too long for the beta program to actually go live.

Original story follows:

The most exciting moment for Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23+, and Galaxy S23 Ultra owners yet has arrived: Samsung has finally started the One UI 6.0 beta program for its latest non-folding flagship lineup. Those interested (and living in markets where the beta program is available) can take part in the program to test the Android 14-based One UI 6.0 update ahead of the public rollout of the finished version of the new software.

The Galaxy S23 One UI 6.0 beta program has gone live in the US, Korea, and Germany, as confirmed by Samsung. However, it doesn't look like anyone can sign up for the beta right now and only Samsung Germany has made the announcement, so it's possible the company pulled the trigger early.

But even if that is the case, the fact that Samsung has an announcement ready suggests that registrations for the beta program will open within the next couple of days and Galaxy S23 owners will get a taste of Android 14 and One UI 6.0 before this week is over. Once the beta does go live, you will be able to enroll using the Samsung Members app and download the first beta update from your phone's Settings » Software update menu.

According to Google's translation of Samsung Germany's announcement, One UI 6.0 “comes in a decidedly simple look” and many UI elements have been modernized or decluttered, one example of that being the redesigned Quick Panel that you can see in the image below. One UI 6.0 also brings new customization features, including a camera widget that lets you choose where certain photos are stored before you shoot pictures.

Last but hopefully not the least, Samsung says One UI 6.0 will also allow the user to set custom background images for different situations, such as “a photo of a quiet forest while the smartphone is in sleep mode”. That's all the information Samsung has provided right now, but we can expect to see the full changelog once the update becomes available for download.