Google unleashed the first Android 16 beta in January 2025, and Samsung followed suit a few months later with its own One UI 8 beta in May. Now that the software is officially here and Samsung’s Galaxy Android 16 (One UI 8) updates are arriving, here’s what you need to know and expect.
While Samsung had a rough go with the One UI 7 release, which faced countless delays, things moved much faster this year. In a surprise turn of events, Samsung sent out the first One UI 8 beta (based on Android 16) for the Galaxy S25 in May, more phones received it in early August, and the official global launch kicked off on September 15th.
Google released Android 16 on June 10th, far earlier than anyone expected, which helped speed up the Samsung Galaxy One UI 8 rollout. The Galaxy Android 16 update delivers an improved software experience, more AI goodies, home and lock screens improvements, better security, tighter privacy, and more. So, here’s which Samsung Galaxy phones have received Android 16, will get it soon, and when.
Google Makes Android 16 Official With a Fresh Design, Security Updates, and Gemini
The moment we’ve been waiting for.
When Will Samsung Release Android 16?
Before Samsung officially releases the One UI 8 update (Android 16) for its Galaxy phones and tablets, owners in select regions with specific models can beta test the software early. That said, the company recently confirmed Android 16 will officially start arriving in September 2025.
While internal testing started in March, Samsung’s first Android 16 beta didn’t arrive until the end of May 2025, and the 4th beta in July. Currently, One UI 8 is available for the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25+, and Galaxy S25 Ultra, with select foldables and older models next in line. Models and availability vary by region, but the phone maker will slowly expand its offering as the release date nears.
Next, the latest Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Fold 6 will join the beta starting August 11th, along with the Galaxy S24 series. Then, look for it to hit the Galaxy S23 in late August or early September. Several rumors already suggest that exact timeline.
Samsung has officially started the update to Android 16 (One UI 8) for its Galaxy phones, tablets, and smartwatches. The first update arrived on September 15th, starting with the Galaxy S25 series.
What to Expect From One UI 8?
The One UI 8 update, based on Android 16, will offer a combination of new features from Google and countless changes by the developer teams at Samsung. The first few betas didn’t have much to offer and slowly got better, and now that it’s here, users are loving the latest release. However, we’re already seeing leaks of One UI 8.5, and it’ll be a far bigger release early next year.
So far, Samsung has added enhanced AI capabilities throughout, app redesigns, better split-screen multitasking, Quick Share improvements, a more intuitive Reminder app, upgrades to the Samsung Internet browser, changes to the Calendar, Now Bar, Gallery, and more. Android 16 also added notification cooldown back to Android, better battery health management, live update notifications, and other changes.
Overall, the experience is very similar to what you already have with One UI 7, with more polish, better performance, and AI. One UI 8 isn’t a huge update in terms of visuals, but under the hood, a lot has changed.
Which Samsung Galaxy Phones Will Get Android 16, and When
On September 15th, Samsung finally launched One UI 8, based on Android 16, and shared a list of devices that would be eligible for the software. However, the company wasn’t ready to say when, but more updates were coming “later this year” after the Galaxy S25 got it first.
Thankfully, a few days later, Samsung Brazil confirmed all the Galaxy phones and tablets that would receive the official Android 16 update, and when. Like every year, Samsung started with its newest Galaxy S25 series, along with the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7. Then, the company quickly expanded the rollout to the Galaxy S24 series, Galaxy Z Fold/Flip 6, Galaxy S23, A-series, tablets, and is working down its expansive list of devices.
As a reminder, Samsung now supports phones with seven years of OS updates, but older models are still on track to get at least four major updates and five years of software patches and maintenance releases. For example, the aging Galaxy S22 will get Android 16, but don’t expect the older Galaxy S21 Ultra to get it.
Here’s a list of all the Samsung Galaxy devices that will get Android 16 (or have) and when the updates should arrive. Many dates are official, but some details and launch windows remain unconfirmed.
Galaxy Phones:
- All Galaxy S25 models (September 18)
- Galaxy S24, S24+, S24 Ultra (Late September)
- Galaxy S23, S23+, S23 Ultra, S23 FE (Late September or early October)
- Galaxy S22, S22+, S22 Ultra, S22 FE (October)
- Galaxy Fold 6, Flip 6 (Late September)
- Galaxy Flip 5, Fold 5 (early October)
- Galaxy Fold/Flip 4, Galaxy Fold/Flip 3
- Galaxy A35, A36 5G, A56 5G (Late September)
- Galaxy A55 5G, A35 5G, A26, A17, and A17 5G (October)
- Galaxy A54 5G, A34 5G, A25 5G, A16 5G, A16, and A15 5G (Mid October)
- Galaxy A73 5G, A53 5G, A24, A15, A07, A06 5G, and A06 (Late October)
- Galaxy A33 5G (Late October)
If you have a Samsung Galaxy phone released in the last 2–3 years, expect to see the latest One UI 8 release based on Android 16 sometime before the end of 2025. Things are moving quicker this year than they did with One UI 7 in 2024/2025, and many updates should arrive before the holidays.
Galaxy Tablets Getting Android 16:
- Galaxy Tab S10, S10 Plus, S10 Ultra, S10 FE, and S10 Lite (Late September and early October)
- Galaxy Tab S9, S9 Plus, S9 Ultra, and S9 FE (October 6th)
- Galaxy Tab S8, S8+, and S8 Ultra (Mid October)
- Select Galaxy Tab A Series (Late October)
Again, this is only an estimated list, because while Samsung did say these devices are getting One UI 8, the company didn’t say when. We’re going off dates from Samsung Brazil, which are typically earlier than global launch dates, or for those in the United States. So far, we’ve seen updates hit in regions like South Korea and Brazil first, then arrive in the U.S. within 5–7 days.
That said, essentially, all Samsung Galaxy phones and tablets that launched with Android 13 (or released in 2022) should receive an upgrade to Android 16 and One UI 8.
Newer phones and tablets are the first priority, so those with older models may be waiting until Q4 of 2025 for the software. Additionally, if your device is too old to receive OS updates, it’ll still get security patches.
Now, let’s just hope the release doesn’t face any setbacks or delays like we saw last year. Finally, remember that rollouts will arrive in waves on different models and regions, and models from U.S. carriers are usually even slower.
So, just because you see a Galaxy S23 getting One UI 8 in one country doesn’t mean it’ll arrive for your device that same day. Be patient, stay tuned, and get ready for the next big Android release on your Galaxy device.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus
- SoC
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Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy
- Display
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6.7″, 3120 x 1440, Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz
- RAM
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12GB
- Storage
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256GB, 512GB
- Battery
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4,900 mAh
- Ports
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USB-C
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus is a premium smartphone with a 6.7-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display and a 120Hz refresh rate. It features the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, 12GB of RAM, and a 4,900mAh battery with 45W Super Fast Charging 2.0.
- Operating System
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Android 15 with One UI 7
- Front camera
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12MP f/2.2
- Rear camera
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50MP f/1.8 main, 10MP f/2.4, 12MP f/2.2
- Connectivity
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NFC, UWB
- Dimensions
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158.4 x 75.8 x 7.3
- Weight
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190g
- Charge speed
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45W
- IP Rating
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IP68
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