Samsung One UI 8 is already here—what’s new?

Samsung is already knee-deep in testing One UI 8—its next major Android skin based on Android 16. With Google expected to release Android 16 before the end of June (a bit earlier than usual), Samsung is wasting no time gearing up for its own rollout. Internal testing seems to have begun, and early leaks are giving us a first glimpse of what’s new. Spoiler: not much just yet.

Minor UI tweaks, not a major redesign

At first glance, One UI 8 doesn’t look wildly different from One UI 7. Most of the interface remains the same, with only a handful of subtle design tweaks. The Quick Settings panel now includes some shaded buttons, although this might just be a bug—one of the two Galaxy Z Flip 6 devices being tested didn’t show the same behaviour.

Samsung’s also playing around with minor changes in its system apps. In the Gallery app, for instance, menu options are now enclosed in circles. It’s more of a visual refresh than a functional one, but hey, it’s something.

New features spotted (so far)

While the visual changes are minimal, some fresh additions are starting to emerge. One of them is the Now Brief—a dynamic glance-style feature that seems poised to come to older devices as part of the One UI 8 rollout. The rest of the updates mostly appear behind the scenes, thanks to the Android 16 base. Things like system behaviour, security tweaks, and app performance will likely improve, but don’t expect Pixel-style features to land in full—Samsung already has equivalents for many of them, like lock screen widgets that Android 16 is only now rolling out.

Release timeline and why expectations should be low

Samsung has had a bumpy few weeks. One UI 7’s rollout—based on Android 15—was messy, with major bugs forcing the company to pull back the update in some regions. That botched release is likely why One UI 8 might arrive faster, with fewer changes. There’s even speculation that this could be more of a One UI 7.1 update in disguise, rebranded to match Android 16’s release.

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 are expected to ship with One UI 8 out of the box, and the update could reach existing devices in the next three months. But don’t be surprised if Samsung skips a public beta this time to avoid repeating past mistakes.

In short, One UI 8 isn’t shaping up to be a major leap—but it might just be a more stable one. And right now, that’s exactly what Samsung needs.