Early last month, we heard rumors from credible sources that the first beta build of One UI 8.5 would start rolling out in late November. However, later in the same month, we reported that Samsung’s One UI 8.5 rollout plan hit an unexpected snag and was delayed, reportedly due to last-minute changes to the upcoming Galaxy S26 series.
We are only a few days away from the end of November, and Samsung hasn’t started the One UI 8.5 rollout, so we can say that the rumors about the delay were indeed true. However, you won’t have to wait long in order to get a glimpse of One UI 8.5 running on a Galaxy handset, as the latest evidence suggests Samsung is readying the update for the Galaxy 25 series.
Galaxy S25 will soon get One UI 8.5 beta
As spotted by famed leaker @tarunvats33, the first One UI 8.5 beta build for Galaxy S25 has recently surfaced on Samsung’s test servers. That usually indicates that Samsung is very close to a public release of the One UI 8.5 beta, so if that happens, Galaxy S25 users would be able to install it in the next couple of weeks.
If that indeed turns out to be the case, it’ll be in line with the leaker’s previous claim that One UI 8.5 beta had been delayed to December or January. But now that the update has surfaced on test servers, a December release is more plausible. It’ll likely be available within the first half of December.
A delay of a month or two may not bother, considering the fact that it’s only been a few months since Samsung completed the rollout of the One UI 8 update. However, the South Korean tech giant will be under serious criticism if it delays the update once again by another couple of months.
Which Galaxy handsets are eligible for the One UI 8.5 update?
Not all Galaxy handsets are eligible to get the One UI 8.5 update, but it’s safe to say that phones that have received the One UI 8 update will get One UI 8.5, which is based on Android 16 QPR2.
If your Galaxy phone is eligible for the update, you have all the reasons to get excited about it, because the leaks suggest One UI 8.5 will be packed with many new features and improvements. We’ll know more about those new functionalities when the first One UI 8.5 beta update drops.
