Galaxy S23 One UI 8.5 development may have started already

The Galaxy S23 series received the One UI 8.0 update earlier this month, but just a few days later, Samsung pulled it without providing any reason. While Galaxy S23, S23+, and S23 Ultra users in some regions are still waiting for the update to return, it now seems that Samsung may have already started work on the One UI 8.5 update for the 2023 flagships.

According to TarunVats, Samsung is testing firmware version S918BXXU9FYJ3 for the Galaxy S23 Ultra. Development is still in its early stages, as this One UI 8.5 build is reportedly some time away from reaching Samsung’s test servers. For context, new firmware appearing on Samsung’s servers usually indicates that the company has started ramping up work on an upcoming update for a particular device.

Of course, it will also be some time before the update starts rolling out to the public. The Galaxy S26 series is expected to arrive next year with One UI 8.5 out of the box, after which Samsung will roll the update out to older devices. And if the latest rumors are true, a delay in the S26 launch could mean we’ll have to wait even longer for One UI 8.5.

As always, we’ll keep you posted as soon as more details about One UI 8.5 drop. In the meantime, check if your device is eligible and watch the next version of One UI in action on a Galaxy S25 Ultra by clicking the play button below.