SEOUL, April 14, 2026, 23:05 KST
- Samsung is pushing its One UI 8.5 beta out to older Galaxy phones in a handful of markets—moving past the Galaxy S26 series.
- Quick Share is picking up AirDrop-style capabilities, though Samsung maintains that AirDrop remains exclusive to the Galaxy S26 series for now.
- Samsung is doubling down on software and AI, a move that comes against the backdrop of a sluggish smartphone market.
Samsung’s One UI 8.5 beta has landed on earlier Galaxy models, with the Galaxy S23 FE update now available in India. In South Korea, updates are cropping up as well, extending the reach of the new software to more than just Samsung’s latest flagships. The company last week confirmed the beta would cover the Galaxy S23 series, Galaxy Z Fold5, Galaxy Z Flip5, Galaxy S23 FE, and Galaxy A36 5G, rolling out in stages.
Timing’s important here: Samsung is currently trialing One UI 8.5—the latest preview before launch—which is how the company is pushing additional AI, privacy, and ecosystem updates to older models. On Tuesday, Samsung rolled out a new version of its Try Galaxy app. That lets anyone test-drive Galaxy S26 software and Galaxy AI features right on their existing phone, no upgrade required.
The move lands during a more challenging market stretch. According to Counterpoint, global smartphone shipments slipped 6% in Q1 2026, and Samsung saw its own shipments drop by the same percentage from a year earlier. Omdia analyst Sheng Win Chow argued Samsung must “expand its software footprint” as AI-powered services take on a bigger role in driving value. Counterpoint Research
Samsung’s April 9 roster features the Galaxy S23, S23+, S23 Ultra, S23 FE, Z Fold5, Z Flip5, and the A36 5G—the A36 stands out as the first A-series device to make that cut. Rollout’s patchy: Fold5 and Flip5 are US and Korea only, A36 sticks to India right now, and everyone’s got to sign up via Samsung Members.
The live beta has expanded since then. According to SamMobile, India’s S23 FE beta comes with firmware version S711BXXUEZZD5, weighs in at about 3.6 GB, and packs Samsung’s April 2026 security patch. The site also notes the A35 beta is now available in India and South Korea. Over at Android Authority, first beta builds for the A55, Fold5, and Flip5 have been spotted in South Korea, based on public posts and Samsung community threads. Samsung hasn’t revised its April 9 device list to reflect these extra A-series appearances.
Quick Share stands out here—Samsung’s file-sharing feature is rolling out AirDrop-like transfers to Apple hardware. Samsung’s pitching this as an extension of its Android partnership, but there’s a catch buried in the fine print: according to a footnote flagged by Droid-Life, AirDrop support is still “currently” limited to the Galaxy S26 line, despite One UI 8.5 beta hitting older phones. Samsung Global Newsroom
Samsung’s selling point isn’t just moving files around. Back in February, COO Won-Joon Choi claimed the company overhauled Bixby to allow for “more natural interactions and intuitive device control.” Fast forward to last week—Jisun Park, head of language AI, called the assistant the “primary entry point” for the company’s products. Samsung Global Newsroom
Put together, it looks like Samsung is targeting the seamless file-sharing that’s long been an Apple hallmark — but it’s also doubling down on Google’s Android framework and its proprietary AI to keep Galaxy users loyal. Stakes are higher after Apple edged out Samsung in the first quarter, Counterpoint says. Now, Samsung’s pushing its Try Galaxy feature to let non-Galaxy users get a taste of its latest software prior to buying.
But the broader beta still leaves a key point unresolved: just what portion of the S26 features will reach older phones remains uncertain. Samsung’s documentation notes that AirDrop timing could differ by market, and the beta guidelines flag potential pitfalls—bugs, incomplete features, even possible data loss.
Samsung’s rolling this out step by step, not flipping the switch everywhere at once. One UI 8.5 is inching toward more older Galaxy phones, but who gets it and when still depends on device, market and which features are involved. The top incentives for upgrading? Those are mostly still locked to the Galaxy S26 models.
