One UI 7 is late, but One UI 8 may be here early!

Samsung usually starts rolling out a new version of Android to Galaxy phones and tablets by the end of a year. However, with Android 15-based One UI 7.0, the company is running almost three months behind the schedule. Well, it looks like that won’t be the case with Android 16-based One UI 8.0 as its test build for the Galaxy S25 has been spotted on Samsung’s server two months ahead than usual.

On X, tipster Tarun Vats reports that he has spotted a new firmware for the Galaxy S25 Ultra on Samsung’s server. It has version S938BXXU1BYC1. Going by Samsung’s firmware number convention, which we will discuss in detail below, it seems to be Android 16-based One UI 8.0. It has arrived almost two months earlier than usual. You can check out the new firmware in the image below.

Samsung's firmware number convention: How to spot new version of One UI?

In the firmware versions for Samsung smartphones and tablets, the fourth letter from the last denotes the version of One UI. ‘A' is for the version of One UI the device launches with. The firmware version for the device with the next version of One UI  gets the letter ‘B' in the last fourth place.

Samsung launched the Galaxy S25 with Android 15-based One UI 7.0, and the latest firmware for the device has version S931BXXU1AYB5 (for the international variant). As you can see, the fourth letter from the last is ‘A'. Whereas, the fourth letter from the last in the one spotted by the tipster is ‘B.'

Based on that, one might say that this could also be Android 15-based One UI 7.1. However, there are three reasons why that isn't the case.

Samsung to skip One UI 7.1 and One UI 7.1.1 to offer Android 16 (One UI 8.0) on time

First, Samsung releases One UI x.1 with a new Galaxy S-series, which isn't the case this time. Second, Google is on track to release Android 16 in July, three months earlier than it usually releases a new version of the OS. Third, leaks have suggested that Samsung is going to skip One UI 7.1 and One UI 7.1.1 to offer One UI 8.0 on time.

Based on these factors, the newly-spotted firmware for the Galaxy S25 seems to be Android 16-based One UI 8.0. Usually, a new version of Android for Samsung devices appears in Q2 every year. Considering that we have spotted One UI 8.0 two months earlier than usual, it is highly likely that its stable version will also arrive sooner.