One UI 8.5 could bring a bigger improvement than you think

Over the past few weeks, we’ve been reporting new features and improvements we spotted in leaked One UI 8.5 files. It turns out to be a bigger deal than we expected, at least according to a new report. Apparently, it’s based on Google’s Android 16 QPR2 release.

A report from Android Authority reveals that the SDK version and build ID prefix in the recently leaked One UI 8.5 build are ‘36.1' and ‘BP4A,' respectively. These values correspond to Android 16 QPR2, indicating that One UI 8.5 is based on this version of Android. In comparison, One UI 8.0 was based on the first stable release of Android 16 (QPR1).

As we expected earlier, One UI 8.5 could bring some major improvements that Google introduced with Android 16 QPR2. Those features could system and UI enhancements like expanded dark theme, forced app icon theming, native support for lock screen widgets from third-party apps, native step tracking via Health Connect, granular haptic feedback control, PDF document annotation and editing, and more.

It could also bring support for Eclipsa Audio (based on IAMF) that was announced by Google and Samsung at CES 2025. Some other features could include support for manual brightness adjustments for HDR and SDR content, personal audio sharing in audio output switcher, and newer AAudio APIs for high quality audio editing and music creation apps.

Security features such as Secure Lock Device, Phone Theft Protection toggle, and expanded Identity Check for more apps could also be a part of One UI 8.5.

Remember that Samsung could pick and choose which Android 16 QPR2 features to include in One UI 8.5. Some user-facing features may not be part of One UI 8.5. However, Samsung has to include developer and API changes and improvements. Things will get clear when One UI 8.5 goes official with the Galaxy S26.