Abstract
- Samsung is already testing One UI 8 based mostly on Android 16 internally, most likely to keep away from additional delays.
- Samsung’s early begin on testing for Android 16 goals to keep away from one other chaotic and delayed rollout, as we have seen with Android 15.
Samsung has been panned for the actual fact it is taking a very long time to deliver Android 15 to its smartphones. The corporate appears to be laborious at work guaranteeing that does not occur once more for the subsequent main Android replace, although.
After a interval of inconsistency that noticed delays within the rollout of One UI 7, Samsung has reportedly begun inner testing of its subsequent main third-party pores and skin, One UI 8, based mostly on the upcoming Android 16. The information comes by way of a submit on Twitter/X by business insider Tarun Vats, who reported that Samsung has began up inner testing of One UI 8 and already has inner builds of what’s going to ultimately grow to be Samsung’s subsequent main software program replace in a number of months. These assessments should not public-facing, so should you’re speeding over to Google to test should you can set up Android 16 in your Galaxy S25, you may’t. These are simply the corporate’s preliminary efforts to start out the bring-up course of for the subsequent technology of Android.
As a reminder, Android 16 is already in its second beta, and it is already taking form—it is anticipated to be out of the door and into customers’ telephones in a comparatively brief time frame. That is roughly two months forward of schedule in comparison with when Samsung started bring-up for Android 15 final yr. This timing additionally mirrors the early testing section seen with One UI 6, which was notably the final main replace to stick to Samsung’s beforehand constant timeline. If it appears too early, simply do not forget that Android 16 itself is headed for an early launch in comparison with earlier Android variations—the primary Android 16 developer preview was launched final yr, mere weeks after the discharge of the steady model of Android 15. So seeing corporations begin laying the groundwork for their very own Android 16 updates round this time might be proper on schedule.
Whereas the flagship Galaxy S25 sequence is operating the complete model of One UI 7, Samsung’s tackle Android 15, different gadgets have not had it pretty much as good. The Galaxy S24 lineup has been present process beta testing since final yr, and the most recent foldable gadgets, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Flip 6, are due to get enrolled to the beta program as effectively quickly.
Samsung had obtained a fame of rolling out updates comparatively quick over the previous few years—I had a Samsung Galaxy S22 Extremely till not too way back and I all the time acquired my main updates simply weeks after they have been launched on Pixel telephones. So the truth that this rollout has been so chaotic is fairly out of character for Samsung just lately. Samsung clearly does not need the identical factor to occur with its subsequent Android 16 launch, so it is beginning to do issues proper by beginning the tougher a part of the work sooner than regular.
We’re unsure when this can translate into builds that customers can really use—as we mentioned earlier than, these are simply inner builds which can be most likely fairly damaged, so it is gonna take a while till it turns into one thing usable by precise folks. If we’re beginning out this early, although, there’s an opportunity we’ll at the very least see beta releases beginning with the preliminary rollout of Android 16 to Pixel telephones and the AOSP. Once more, it is too early to inform—Samsung may nonetheless mess up someday over the subsequent few weeks leading to one more delayed launch.
Supply: Tarun Vats (Twitter/X) by way of 9to5Google