Leaked Galaxy S26 Ultra firmware confirms One UI 8.5

A few days ago, the first firmware for Samsung‘s upcoming non-foldable flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S26 Ultra, was spotted on the company's server. It suggested that the company has taken a significant step into the development of the phone's software. While the firmware was suspected to be based on One UI 8.5, there was no proper confirmation. Well, that's finally changing today.

We got our hands on the first firmware for the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Carrying firmware version S948USQU0AYG8, its build information mentions that it is based on Android 16 and has One UI 8.5, as you can see in the image below. This is the first time One UI 8.5 has been mentioned officially, confirming its existence. We are still digging in to get more information.

Yesterday, it was revealed that Samsung will introduce major One UI versions with its Galaxy Z series phones in the middle of each year. Around six months later, the company reportedly plans to release a One UI x.5 update with new Galaxy S series phones. Despite using the One UI x.5 version, it is said to bring major new features and improvements.

Google switched to a new development model for Android to pace up the software's release, and has decided to release major new Android versions in the middle of the year. To match Google's release cycle, Samsung also switched to a trunk-based system for the development and release of One UI updates. The South Korean firm aims to match Google's software update release timeline for future One UI releases.