BERLIN, May 11, 2026, 14:08 CEST
Samsung’s One UI 8.5 is no longer just on the roadmap—actual updates are hitting more countries, and older Galaxy phones are now getting Quick Share with full AirDrop support. That means wireless file transfers with Apple devices like iPhones, iPads, and Macs. SamMobile on Monday flagged the arrival of the stable One UI 8.5 release on a range of Galaxy devices, even as talk of One UI 9 testing is already surfacing.
Timing is key here: One UI is Samsung’s custom Android skin, front and center for most Galaxy owners. With 8.5, Samsung rolls out fresh Galaxy AI upgrades, new sharing options, and security tweaks—not just for the Galaxy S26 series, but older models, too. That puts Apple’s AirDrop and Google’s Pixel features under pressure, all during the same week Android 17 edges toward release.
Samsung kicked off the One UI 8.5 rollout in Korea on May 6, and more countries are in line. Over in Germany, the company’s newsroom pegged the update for mid-May, but Heise put the local launch at May 11. Tech Advisor, for its part, noted some U.S. Galaxy S25 owners started seeing the update show up on Monday.
Samsung’s One UI 8.5 update is rolling out to the Galaxy S25, S24, and S23 lines—FE variants included—plus the latest Z Fold and Z Flip models. The Galaxy Tab S11, S10, and S9 tablets are in, too. Over in Germany, the last three generations of A-series phones also make the cut, according to the company, but those devices will get One UI 8.5 with “Awesome Intelligence,” a pared-back set of AI tools designed for mid-range hardware. Samsung Global Newsroom
Quick Share is now working with AirDrop, Apple’s wireless file-transfer system—a notable shift for users. Samsung previously flagged during the beta that certain devices would get AirDrop support through Quick Share. Now, according to SamMobile, the finalized One UI 8.5 update is rolling out that capability to older models like the Galaxy S25 series.
Some of the updates in One UI 8.5 don’t grab headlines but cover a lot of ground. According to Heise, the new version brings refreshed Photo Assist editing features, Advanced Audio Eraser aimed at cutting down background noise on apps like YouTube or Instagram, AI-powered call screening, and Creative Studio. There’s also Audio Broadcast via Auracast, plus Storage Share—files from other Galaxy devices can now show up in the My Files app.
Samsung’s Call Screening marks a direct step into ground that’s been dominated by Google’s Pixel lineup. With this feature, AI picks up the call, questions the caller, and serves up a transcript or summary for the user—basically echoing what newer Pixel devices have offered for some time.
Samsung tweaked the interface in the update as well. According to Heise, users now get more options for home and lock screen customization—think icons, widgets, and clock styles you can resize. On the security side, there’s a new feature: after several failed fingerprint, PIN, or password attempts, the device can automatically lock the screen.
Leaks have started to surface about what’s next. On Monday, Techbook, referencing Samsung tracker Tarun Vats, flagged that a test build—S948BXXU2ZZE7—of One UI 9 had cropped up on Samsung’s servers for the Galaxy S26 Ultra, running on Android 17. Samsung hasn’t said anything yet about a public One UI 9 beta.
Samsung could be pushing the timeline forward, and Google’s calendar might be the reason. Google I/O, set for May 19-20, lines up with comments from Dan Galpin, a Google developer relations engineer, who said in April that Android 17 Beta 4 was both the “last scheduled beta” and a “near-final environment” for testing. Google I/O
There’s a snag: Samsung notes that not every model, region, or software version will get the same features, and a Samsung account might be needed for some AI tools. The One UI 9 details floating around aren’t official yet, either, so the beta could land later than expected, or show up missing features teased in early test builds.
