SEOUL, April 21, 2026, 04:30 KST
- Samsung’s latest One UI 8.5 beta builds add Galaxy S26 AI features to the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S24 and recent foldables.
- The Galaxy S25 build ending in ZZDD is over 900MB and includes the April 5, 2026 security patch.
- A stable rollout is still not confirmed, though reports point to late April or early May.
Samsung Electronics has pushed fresh One UI 8.5 beta builds that bring several Galaxy S26 AI features to older premium Galaxy phones, including the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S24 and recent foldable models. One UI is Samsung’s Android software interface; beta software is a test version released before a final public update.
The move matters now because Samsung appears to be nearing the end of a long test cycle for the Galaxy S25 series while widening the same feature set to last year’s flagships. Android Authority reported that the Galaxy S25 line has reached its tenth One UI 8.5 beta, while SamMobile said the stable release could follow next.
It also shows how Samsung is trying to make Galaxy AI less tied to a single phone launch. Google’s Pixel phones already offer Call Screen to identify a caller before pickup, and Apple says Apple Intelligence is built into iOS on compatible devices, making software-based AI a bigger part of handset competition.
For the Galaxy S25 series, SamMobile said the new beta uses firmware ending in ZZDD and is available in South Korea, Germany, India and the UK, though the beta number differs by market. Android Authority put the download at about 915MB and said it carries the April 2026 security patch.
A Samsung Members post from Korea for the Galaxy S25 Ultra listed One UI 8.5, Android 16, build numbers including S938NKSU9ZZDD, a 918.98MB size and the April 5, 2026 security patch level. The changelog listed new AI features and fixes for delayed or black incoming-call screens, proximity sensor errors during calls, green lines in some 4K HDR videos recorded in third-party camera apps, Bluetooth crashes and multitouch problems after using accessibility magnification.
The AI additions include Call Screening, which can answer calls and save a transcript; Creative Studio, a generative image and sticker tool; an improved Photo Assist for image editing; and an upgraded Audio Eraser that works more broadly with third-party apps, SamMobile reported.
Samsung is also moving those features beyond the S25. SamMobile said new One UI 8.5 beta updates for the Galaxy S24 series and Galaxy Z Fold 7 add Creative Studio, Call Screening, Photo Assist upgrades and a more capable Audio Eraser. Sammy Fans separately reported similar AI additions for the Galaxy S24 series and Galaxy S25 FE beta builds.
The company had already said in March that One UI 8.5 beta access would extend to devices including the Galaxy S24 series, Galaxy Z Fold6, Galaxy Z Flip6, Galaxy S25 FE, Galaxy S24 FE and Galaxy Tab S11 in selected markets, with broader April availability. Users can register through the Samsung Members app, Samsung said.
One older Samsung quote gives the strategy some shape. Won-Joon Choi, chief operating officer of Samsung’s Mobile eXperience business, said in February that Samsung redesigned Bixby for “more natural interactions” and device control, with the aim of “reducing friction in everyday tasks.” Samsung said the latest Bixby updates are available in One UI 8.5 in markets including Germany, India, Korea, Poland, the UK and the U.S. Samsung Global Newsroom
The risk is timing. Reports point to a possible stable Galaxy S25 rollout in South Korea around April 30 and wider availability around May 4, but Samsung has not announced a final public date in the latest materials reviewed. Feature availability may also vary by model and market, and SamMobile said it remains unclear whether older devices such as the Galaxy S23 series or Galaxy Z Fold 5 will get the full AI suite, a limited set, or none of it.
For now, the update is mainly for beta users. Galaxy owners already enrolled in the One UI 8.5 beta can check under Settings, then Software update, while users still on One UI 8 will have to wait for Samsung’s stable release.
