Samsung finally confirms when your Galaxy phone is | Tech News

Apple has stolen tech headlines this week with its world rollout of iOS 26, the most recent free software program replace for the iPhone, however with good purpose. Apple manages to carry a new working system model as soon as a 12 months and efficiently push it out on the identical day to tens of millions of totally different fashions of iPhone.

Before the iPhone 17 has even hit cabinets, you possibly can obtain iOS 26 as we speak you probably have an iPhone 11 or later.

Unfortunately, this seems to be one thing Samsung can solely dream of.

Despite launching the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 with One UI 8, Samsung’s model of Android 16, the most recent iteration, back in July, the firm has solely this week introduced that it is finally sending out the replace to different telephones.

As of September 15, Samsung stated it will roll out One UI 8 based mostly on Android 16 to older Galaxy telephones, beginning with the Galaxy S25, S25 Plus and S25 Ultra.

“One UI 8 will also reach the Galaxy S24 series, Galaxy Z Fold6, Galaxy Z Flip6, Galaxy S24 FE and additional eligible models later this year,” Samsung stated in a press release.

The company confirmed in a footnote the complete checklist of Galaxy smartphones and tablets that may obtain One UI 8 earlier than the top of 2025.

Galaxy S25 sequence, Galaxy S24 sequence, Galaxy Z Fold6, Galaxy Z Flip6, Galaxy S24 FE, Galaxy S23 sequence, Galaxy Z Fold5, Galaxy Z Flip5, Galaxy S23 FE, Galaxy S22 sequence, Galaxy Z Fold4, Galaxy Z Flip4, Galaxy S21 FE, Galaxy Tab S10 sequence, Galaxy Tab S10 FE, Galaxy Tab S10 Lite, Galaxy Tab S9 sequence, Galaxy Tab S9 FE, Galaxy Tab S8 sequence, Galaxy A56 5G, Galaxy A36 5G, Galaxy A26 5G, Galaxy A17 5G, Galaxy A17, Galaxy A07, Galaxy A06 5G, Galaxy A55 5G, Galaxy A35 5G, Galaxy A25 5G, Galaxy A16 5G, Galaxy A16, Galaxy A15 5G, Galaxy A06, Galaxy A54 5G, Galaxy A34 5G, Galaxy A73 5G, Galaxy A53 5G and Galaxy A33 5G.

As you possibly can see, this replace path goes back to telephones such because the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and S21 FE that had been launched in 2022. That’s not unhealthy, however that’s solely going back three years, when Apple managed to ship iOS 26 to the iPhone 11 sequence launched six years in the past in 2019.

Phones such because the Galaxy S21, S21 Plus and S21 Ultra launched in 2021 are out of luck, as at that time Samsung solely promised then 4 years of software program updates. These telephones will keep on Android 15.

Samsung now tends to vow six or seven years of OS and security updates relying on the product line of its Galaxy telephones and tablets.

As for the One UI 8 replace, Samsung says it’s going to carry “advanced multimodal AI capabilities, a UX optimized for different device form factors and personalized, proactive suggestions to make everyday life smarter and more convenient” to older Galaxy telephones.

That consists of bringing comparatively new Samsung software program perks to these telephones, such because the Now Bar and Now Brief, AI-tinged app exercise and personalised every day data instruments respectively.

Samsung additionally consists of enhanced security options in One UI 8 that work behind the scenes to keep knowledge and apps more secure, plus the software program higher integrates Galaxy AI instruments the place relevant alongside higher integration with Google Gemini and Gemini Live, Google’s chatbot that goals so that you can have more natural conversations with AI.

And you probably have a Z Fold or Z Flip phone that’s getting Android 16, Samsung says it has higher optimised these AI instruments for the form and dimension of your screen, together with the use of Gemini Live on the Z Flip sequence’ outer screen with no need to open the phone up.

“One UI 8 also provides AI-powered tools like Portrait Studio, which can capture the vibrant expressions of pets and then generate artistic, studio-like pet portraits,” Samsung stated. “Users can also enjoy seamless communication in noisy environments with Call Captions — which instantly converts voices into text during calls — as well as keyboard inputs when using Interpreter, which allows users to translate ideas by typing.”