Although Samsung has not yet shown its seventh-generation foldables, rumors about the Galaxy S26 series, which is anticipated to debut in January of next year, have already begun to circulate. It has to do with software at the moment.
Samsung apparently bypassed One UI 7.1 for its forthcoming foldable and went directly to One UI 8. Following a delay with One UI 7, One UI 8 was initially anticipated to play a significant role at January’s Unpacked event. Samsung seems to be turning its attention again to software, as sources indicate that the S26 range will only see minor hardware modifications.
Rumour has it that Samsung is working on something significant for One UI 8.5, the software that will power its flagship devices in 2026. Could this mid-cycle upgrade, whose development is apparently underway, overshadow competitors like Apple’s iOS 26?
Major update:
SamMobile has quoted two reliable tipsters who claim that Samsung has covertly begun developing the firmware for One UI 8.5. One UI 8.5, which is based on Android 16, comes after One UI 8.0 and resumes Samsung’s earlier practice of major mid-cycle upgrades, similar to the x.5 versions up to One UI 2. One UI 8.5 significantly improved over One UI 6.1 and 7.0, which missed significant mid-cycle upgrades in favour of more minor 1.1 revisions. Even a secret menu in One UI 7 alluded to its presence, which fueled rumours.
One UI 8.5 is anticipated to deliver a refined user experience, possibly competing with Apple’s design-heavy iOS 26—though specifics about features are still being kept under wraps. According to reports, One UI 8.5 is intended to act as a “gap filler” to maintain the competitiveness of Galaxy devices until the next significant OS cycle. Older smartphones may also receive the upgrade; the Galaxy S25 series will probably get the complete new capabilities, while the S24, S23, and even S22 series may improve.
