Summary
- Screenshots of an early build of Android 16-based One UI 8 running on the Z Fold 6 have surfaced online.
- It shows minor UI changes compared to One UI 7.
- Samsung might focus on releasing One UI 8 as quickly as possible to make up for the delay in One UI 7’s rollout.
Samsung has struggled with the One UI 7 rollout. Adding to the company’s woes, it had to stop the official rollout due to a major bug. And this happened despite a lengthy delay and extensive beta testing on the company’s part. Rumors suggest Samsung will try to make up for One UI 7’s delay by releasing Android 16-based One UI 8 earlier than anticipated. Adding fuel to this rumor, a new leak gives us our first look at One UI 8.
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The folks at SmartPrix got access to a Galaxy Z Fold 6 running an early build of One UI 8. They have shared several screenshots, highlighting the changes and improvements in Samsung’s next Android skin.
Their initial impression is that One UI 8 looks similar to One UI 7 — and that’s not surprising. Samsung introduced a major visual overhaul with One UI 7, so with One UI 8, it will likely focus on making minor but important usability improvements.
Based on the screenshots shared, Samsung will only make minor UI tweaks to some of its apps in One UI 8. For example, in the My Files app, the company will revamp the Categories section to give it a more organized layout. Similarly, One UI 8’s Gallery app will come with a redesigned menu that looks in line with other UI elements of the OS.
One UI 8 will seemingly focus on minor refinements
The biggest change, at least in the early One UI 8 build, seems to be Now Brief shedding its Galaxy S25 exclusivity and coming to older Galaxy devices. While the full list of supported devices remains unclear, it will reportedly come to the Galaxy S24.
The feature is purportedly already a part of the Z Fold 6’s now-pulled stable One UI 7 firmware. It offers personalized updates and content throughout the day, tailored to your calendar events, health data, travel plans, and more.
Since this is an early build of One UI 8 and the stable release is still months away, a lot could change before the final version rolls out. One thing seems clear, though: Samsung wants to launch the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7 with Android 16-based One UI 8 out of the box. That could help the company make up for the long delay in One UI 7’s release.
