- One UI 8 (based on Android 16) could launch early
- It may make its debut on Samsung’s next foldables
- One UI 7 is rolling out more widely this week
The One UI 7 (Android 15) update made its proper debut on the Samsung Galaxy S25 phones in January, and is set to roll out to other devices from next week – but it seems One UI 8 (Android 16) will soon be ready to go as well, as it’s being tipped to show up on the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7.
Those two foldables are expected to arrive around July time, and sources speaking to SamMobile say they’re going to come with One UI 8 on board rather than One UI 7. It’s a surprisingly speedy turnaround for Samsung’s next software upgrade.
It does fit in with the expected release schedule of Android 16, however: we know Google is keen to get this year’s big software update pushed out to phones sometime in June, and we’ve already had several months of beta testing for the next version of the mobile operating system.
For comparison, Android 15 began appearing on Pixel phones in October 2024, but now that Google has shifted to launching its flagship handsets in August – most recently the Pixel 9 series – needs to get Android ready earlier too, ideally.
What we’ve heard so far
We haven’t heard much about One UI 8 to date, but presumably Samsung will follow the lead set by Android 16. The next big update for Google’s mobile OS is said to be improving support for desktop mode and upgrading the health features available on your handset, as well as adding features to put off phone thieves.
We’ve heard quite a bit about Samsung’s upcoming foldables too. The Galaxy Z Fold 7, for instance, is apparently going to be thinner than its predecessor, and should get the usual under the hood speed improvements – and maybe even better cameras.
As for the Galaxy Z Flip 7, the rumors suggest it’ll come with a full-sized cover screen for the first time, though otherwise the design may stay the same (as could the RAM and storage options). Both the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and the Galaxy Z Fold 7 are apparently getting better battery life, due to more efficient displays.
There’s also been talk of a Samsung Galaxy Z Flip SE and perhaps a tri-fold Samsung foldable too, which could all launch at the same time as the other handsets – and at the same time as the One UI 8 upgrade.
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