The Galaxy S25 is getting a BIG update, and you can try it right now

Samsung had a troubled rollout with OneUI 7, taking months to come to last year’s flagship collection, but the company is righting those wrongs with the OneUI 8 rollout. In fact, it’s already available in beta form for those who can’t wait for the full release later this year. 

As confirmed by Samsung earlier today, the OneUI 8 beta – based on Android 16 – is available now for owners of the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25 Plus and Galaxy S25 Ultra in the UK, US, Germany and South Korea. Oddly enough, the new ultra-thin Galaxy S25 Edge has been left out of the fun – for now, anyway. 

The question is, what’s new in OneUI 8? Continuing recent trends, it’s once again focused primarily on AI smarts, with a “true multimodal AI agent” that should essentially recognise what you’re doing and offer more proactive suggestions, especially in features like Now Bar and Now Brief – though the specifics, including the introduction of new AI features under the Galaxy AI umbrella, are TBC.

The company has also confirmed that the update includes an updated user experience on devices like foldables and tablets, though this is more a trend set by Google’s Android 16 than Samsung itself. 

This is set to include new split-screen functionality that allows you to partially move an app off-screen while focusing on another in full-screen mode, with a tap or swipe to swap the active apps. It sounds remarkably similar OnePlus’ excellent Open Canvas multitasking functionality found on the OnePlus Open, OnePlus Pad and even the OnePlus 13. 

Other new features coming as part of the OneUI 8 beta include changes to the design of the Samsung Reminders app in a bid to make it easier to organise and share your various to-do lists, along with an updated Quick Share interface that should make sharing files and photos a little easier.

There’s also support for Auracast. For those unaware, the protocol essentially allows hearing aids and certain earbuds to connect to shared audio streams like public announcement systems. It’s not a feature that the vast majority of users will use, but it’s a fantastic accessibility feature for those who need it. 

Most importantly, Samsung claims that this “initiates a new rhythm for Samsung’s software evolution”. While that’s slightly nebulous, it suggests that Samsung is keen to remedy the problematic rollout of OneUI 7, with last year’s Galaxy S24 collection only getting the update a little over a month ago despite Android 15 releasing last August. 

That can only be a good thing, both for Samsung and its fans, especially if it wants the seven-year OS upgrade promise of recent flagships to hold any real value. 

Those keen to try out the OneUI 8 beta can do so right now – simply sign up for the beta via the Samsung Members app to gain access. 

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