Some of Galaxy S26’s new tricks are heading to older Samsung flagships and foldables

Samsung’s latest Galaxy S26 upgrades will not stay exclusive for long

By Vikhyaat Vivek Published April 21, 2026

Galaxy S26 with the side bar open. — Vikhyaat Vivek / Digital Trends

Samsung is gearing up for a wider One UI 8.5 update release, which is set to bring some of the Galaxy S26‘s best AI features to older models. The company’s One UI 8.5 beta roll out will cover the Galaxy S24 series, Galaxy Z Fold 6, Galaxy Z Flip 6, Galaxy Z Fold 7, Galaxy Z Flip 7, and the Galaxy S25 FE.

What to expect from One UI 8.5

The beta for One UI 8.5 was spotted with various features like Call Screening, which can answer unknown callers and show live transcripts on your phone. Samsung is even bringing over Creative Studio that adds generative edits and a sticker creation tool inside the Gallery app.

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The updated Photo Assist is included in One UI 8.5 as well, which brings improved object removal and background filling tools. Aside from these, another major addition is Audio Eraser. According to Android Authority, Samsung has expanded this feature to now work with third-party apps, and not just videos shot in the default camera app. So users can clean up wind noise or other unwanted sounds from recorded clips in apps like WhatsApp and Instagram.

It’s still in the beta for now

While the Galaxy S26 features are arriving on the older Galaxy flagships and foldable phones, these are still restricted to models in the One UI 8.5 beta program. It is rolling out in certain regions across the globe.

The software update isn’t just adding new features, but is also making some tweaks to the UI. Some of these changes are for the Quick Settings panel, Galaxy Now Bar, and notifications. Ahead of these models, Samsung has already included the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25+, Galaxy S25 Edge, and Galaxy S25 Ultra.

Vikhyaat Vivek is a tech journalist and reviewer with seven years of experience covering consumer hardware, with a focus on…

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