Exclusive: One UI 9.0 confirmed in leaked One UI 8.5 firmware

Not that it wasn't expected, but the next major version of One UI will be 9.0, as confirmed by code found in the leaked One UI 8.5 firmware that's been making the rounds online this week. One UI 9.0 will undoubtedly be based on Android 17 and should be a considerably bigger update than One UI 8.5 and, hopefully, One UI 8.0 as well.

One UI 9.0 is probably a year or so away from release, though with Samsung deciding to release new Android and One UI versions for Galaxy devices faster than before, it could arrive earlier than One UI 8.0 (released on September 15).

We can expect the next Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip flagships to launch running One UI 9.0 out of the box, and probably Samsung's first tri-fold foldable, which is expected to have a worldwide launch next year, as well. The Galaxy S26 series will launch running One UI 8.5 and will likely be the first to receive the One UI 9.0 update.

It's impossible to say what new features, AI or non-AI, Samsung is cooking this early on, but the leaked One UI 8.5 firmware could provide some hints. We'll let you know as soon as we learn more, so stay tuned. And in the meantime, look forward to the One UI 8.0 update, which is set to expand to additional devices later this month following its release for the Galaxy S25 lineup.