Skip to main content

One UI 8 and Android 16 leak shows Samsung focusing on optimization

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and the Galaxy S25 Ultra's cameras.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (left) and the Galaxy S25 Ultra Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Samsung’s hefty One UI 7 update is rolling out to more devices. At the same time, the company is quickly developing One UI 8, which is based on the soon-to-be-released Android 16. Today, we’re learning more about the update, and the news should be considered very good.

Recommended Videos

SmartPrix has published a series of images that purportedly show an early version of One UI 8, which it calls an “alpha.” The images suggest that One UI 8 will largely focus on optimization and not new features like its predecessor. This makes sense given the many changes that came with the One UI 7 update, which is built on Android 15.

Google is widely expected to reveal the first official version of Android 16 at Google I/O 2025 next month. One UI 8 could also be revealed on the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 sometime this summer.

In One UI 8, SmartPrix determined two changes that might arrive on Samsung devices with the release. First, File Manager offers a “more appealing and organized layout.” Second, the Gallery provides “subtle enhancements.”

Finally, Samsung is expected to expand its Now Brief feature with One UI 8, making it available on more devices beyond the exclusive Galaxy S25 series. Now Brief acts as a personalized content aggregator, providing updates relevant to your daily life by focusing on your schedule and activities.

One UI 7 has faced numerous challenges since it was released on Galaxy S25 devices, the latest being a bug that has temporarily stopped further rollouts of the update. One UI 7 introduces significant changes, including separate notifications and quick settings panels, reminiscent of iOS. Users can now access a vertical-scrolling app drawer. The home screen features a visual refresh with updated icons and simplified widgets. Notably, the “Now Bar” displays real-time updates from select apps on the lock screen.

The update expands Galaxy AI capabilities with new features like Writing Assist, Drawing Assist, and Call Transcripts. Additional enhancements include Auto Highlight Clipping for video editing, improved health management tools, and better multitasking options for Samsung products.

Bryan M. Wolfe
Bryan M. Wolfe has over a decade of experience as a technology writer. He writes about mobile.
OnePlus 13 users can finally experience Android 16
The OnePlus 13 and OnePlus Watch 3.

OnePlus 13 users eager to try Android 16 can do so now. An announcement on the official OnePlus Forums states that users of OnePlus’ newest phone can download Android 16 Beta 2 on their devices. According to the note, the beta won’t be made available to OnePlus 13R users, at least to yet.

Whether OnePlus 13 users should download the Android 16 beta is another story. As 9to5Google rightly notes, early releases of OxygenOS, which sits on top of Android on OnePlus devices, haven’t always played nice with beta versions.

Read more
Official OnePlus 13T teaser reveals iPhone 16 Pro similarities
OnePlus 13T vs iPhone 16 Pro bezels

Rumors surrounding upcoming phones appear daily, from the iPhone 17 Slim to Samsung's next Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 devices. There's one phone in particular that has seen an increase in teasers recently however, and that's the next phone to launch from OnePlus. 

The Chinese company already confirmed the OnePlus 13T was coming - on April Fools no less - and the device has appeared on AnTuTu with some impressive benchmarking scores. OnePlus has also previously shared a teaser image showing off an action button in place of the signature action slider, and now another official teaser image has appeared.

Read more
One UI 7 adds a bevy of camera tricks to your old Samsung phone
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra with the Galaxy AI screen.

Samsung has officially begun rolling out the Android 15-based One UI 7 update for its older smartphones via the stable channel, starting with Galaxy S24, while also showering similar love on the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Z Fold 6.

While at it, the company has finally shared an extended roadmap for devices that are in line to receive the software upgrade, and also put a spotlight on the new camera tools coming alongside. 

Read more