Delays are the only constant in Samsung’s world right now. There has been much confusion around the One UI 7 and One UI 8 update and their rollout for Samsung fans, and the company’s lack of clear announcements has further confused consumers. Despite all the delays, things appear to be picking up the pace now.
The Samsung Galaxy S25 series was released with the One UI 7 software upgrade earlier this year, and the company confirmed that it would be coming to a wider range of smartphones soon—the Galaxy S24 first, and then to older smartphone models over time. Now, we know that One UI 7’s official rollout began on April 7, but we’re already moving on to talks of Samsung’s One UI 8 update coming later this year.
Samsung One UI 8 is expected to be preloaded on the next Fold and Flip smartphones, so let’s take a moment to understand One UI 7 and 8’s simultaneous progress.
The Samsung One UI 8 update could arrive sooner than expected and the Galaxy Fold 7 and Flip 7 may be the first to receive it. (Image: Galaxy Z Flip 6)
Samsung One UI 7 and One UI 8 Updated Timeline: When Can You Receive the Upgrade?
One UI 7 brings a collection of changes to Samsung smartphones, from a redesigned user interface with a bolder design and widgets to the Now Bar on the lock screen for real-time updates. There are, of course, some AI features that have been introduced, such as writing and drawing assistance, audio eraser, and a much deeper Google Gemini integration in the smartphone’s interface.
Fans have been waiting for the official rollout of One UI 7 for months now, and it’s unclear why it has taken Samsung so long to release the upgrade when it was able to fully debut the software with the Galaxy S25 series.
Now we know the One UI 7 official rollout began on April 7, 2025, but it isn’t happening all at once. The rollout is expected to be gradual, which is why you may not have received the update yet.
Timeline of the Samsung One UI 7 Official Rollout
- December 5, 2024: Samsung launched the One UI 7 beta program for Galaxy S24 series users to begin testing the new update
- January 22, 2025: One UI 7’s official debut was announced with the Galaxy S25 series, with promises of bringing it to more devices soon
- March 18, 2025: Samsung confirmed the official One UI 7 release in April 2025
- April 7, 2025: The One UI 7 release began in April 2025, but different devices will receive the update gradually. The Galaxy S24 series, Galaxy Z Fold6, and Galaxy Z Flip6 in South Korea were the first to see the global rollout
- April 10, 2025: Galaxy S24 series, Galaxy Z Fold6, and Galaxy Z Flip6 users in the US have begun to receive the One UI 7 update
- May 2025: The Samsung One UI 7 update will expand to a wider range of flagship and mid-ranged phones
- June 2025: Older budget devices like the A53, A33, A25, A24, and A15; Galaxy Tab S9 FE/S9 FE+, Galaxy Tab A9/A9+ etc. will begin to see the One UI 7 update
The One UI 7 update may arrive on you Galaxy device soon, but we’re now trying to get a sense of the One UI 8 timeline. (Image: Samsung)
Samsung One UI 8 Update: When Can You Expect It?
The One UI 7 release in April 2025 should put you at ease about receiving the update in the coming weeks, but now there’s the Samsung One UI 8 update to look forward to as well. Rumors suggest that Samsung has begun internal testing for One UI 8 on the Galaxy S25 Ultra.
One UI 8 will be based on the upcoming Android 16 update, and Google reported that this Android version would reach platform stability by March 2025. Android 16 Beta testing has already begun on devices like the OnePlus 13, and we expect to see its release in June or July 2025. Google I/O 2025 will take place on May 20 and 21, which is when we’ll hear more about Android 16.
If Samsung One UI 8 update doesn’t keep up with Google’s Android 16 timeline, it could fall significantly behind competitors that make the change quicker. One UI 7 and 8’s simultaneous progress will be unusual, but we expect the new Samsung OS upgrade to also be released in the coming months, just as the One UI 7 rollout begins to wrap up on the older devices.
Samsung One UI 8 Preloaded on the Fold and Flip
According to the latest Samsung One UI 8 updates we’ve seen, the Android 16 upgrade will be out this year. The Samsung One UI 8 is going to be preloaded on the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7, which means buyers will have direct access to it out of the box. Yes, this is unusual as we are likely going to skip any mid-OS updates like we traditionally receive, so there will not be a One UI 7.1 or 7.2 update if things go to plan—we’ll swing straight to One UI 8.
There is no confirmed release date for the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7, but the previous versions of the device were released in July last year. If Samsung sticks to the timeline, we could be moving on to the One UI 8 update even as many start to familiarize themselves with the previous version. The official beta testing for One UI 8 could begin as early as June on S25 series devices.
Will this make up for the anger caused by the delayed One UI 7 official rollout? It depends on when other Samsung users receive the update.
When Will Other Samsung Devices Get the Next Version Update?
Samsung One UI 8 may be preloaded on the Fold and Flip around July, but this will only benefit those who purchase the smartphone. Similar to the One UI 7 release, the Samsung One UI 8 release date in 2025 for other smartphone users can be expected to take a while. When One UI 8 is brought out, Galaxy S25 series users will see it first before it trickles down to other customers.
The One UI 8 timeline for the majority of Samsung users could extend to September or later. This time around, the new UI upgrade is expected to be a more minor one, with only a limited number of changes to the interface and features.
Could the Samsung One UI 8 update really launch in July with the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Z Fold 7? Yes, it’s possible. However, other Samsung users could have a longer wait ahead of them.
Are you excited about the Samsung One UI 8 update? Do you think the company will be able to make up for the delays with One UI 7 with this upcoming release timeline? Let us know. For more news on all things tech, subscribe to Technowize, and we’ll keep you informed of all the biggest updates.