Here’s What You Need to Know

While the One UI 7 update is still making its rounds, the Samsung One UI 8 beta is getting set to make some connections of its own. The Samsung beta enrollment program for 2025 has been formally announced, giving Galaxy S25 series users much to look forward to. The Android 16 release is right around the corner now that the Google I/O event is done, and there are some big changes expected with the new OS. Along with an updated design language for the interface, Android 16 is expected to change how we use and interact with our smartphones.

Pixel users will be the first to interact with this interface directly, but other smartphone makers have already hopped on to build their own operating systems based on its capabilities. Eager to avoid repeating the delay we witnessed with the One UI 7 rollout, Samsung’s One UI 8 beta program has already gone live, giving it a good start to perfecting the OS before a full release later this year.

Samsung One UI 8 Beta Program Announced—Are You Interested in Signing Up?

The Samsung One UI 8 beta program has already begun for Galaxy S25 users in South Korea, but some users in the US, UK, and Germany who are enrolled in the program have also seen its arrival. This Android 16-based One UI 8 build is 3.38 GB in size and can be downloaded over Wi-Fi only.

One UI 8 Beta Signup: How to Enroll in the Program?

If you’re interested in trying out the changes early and providing feedback on its capabilities, the One UI 8 beta signup is now open for Galaxy S25 series owners. You can use the Samsung Members app to sign up with your Samsung account, provided you’re in the US, UK, South Korea, or Germany, where the program is now live.

Once you log in, you should see the banner for the Beta program which you can use to sign up. After the registration is complete, you can check your software update page on your device the same as you would for a regular OS update, and the Samsung One UI 8 beta update will be available for you to download and explore.

When will Samsung One UI 8 Launch?

Unfortunately, we don’t have a set date for the official global release of One UI 8 just yet. Samsung will likely spend at least a few months testing and perfecting the features before it releases the first version of the software. Seeing as Google hasn’t provided a clear release date for Android 16 other than its potential arrival sometime in June, it’s very unlikely that we’ll see a One UI 8 announcement before July at the earliest.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 smartphones are expected to launch in July, so these could be the first phones to feature the One UI 8 update out of the box. The software will then roll out to Galaxy S25 phones and later arrive on older models. We’re confident that the majority of One UI 8-supported devices will see the software by the end of the year, but there’s not much more that can be confirmed.

Samsung One UI 8 Beta Changelog—What Are Some New Features Being Tested?

The Samsung beta program details have been listed in the changelog provided with the One UI 8 beta launch, and there are quite a few features the company is testing out. Samsung is improving its Quick Share system to support easier file transfer, while also updating the on-device search function to locate files downloaded to the device. The split screen view—a feature we find ourselves using constantly—is being improved to better focus on one app, and the reminder interface is also being redesigned.

Along with a multitude of improvements to the reminder function, it will also offer an easier way to add reminders or events to the calendar or create new routines to keep your life on track. The Samsung Health app is also exploring improvements and so is the camera app. Samsung is also using its One UI 8 beta launch to test a range of accessibility features to see how they can be used to improve the experience of using its smartphones.

These features are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the details mentioned in the One UI 8 announcement, so it is evident that Samsung is looking beyond a redesign to fully enhance the capabilities of the smartphone. While we have not been a fan of the Now Bar feature or some of the design changes introduced with One UI 7, we’re hoping that the next update will do more than just mess with the transparency of the clock widget on Samsung smartphones.

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