Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Phones
  3. News

Samsung may be going in for the full iOS-esque Liquid Glass look in OneUI 9.5

Well, well, well, Samsung could very much adopt the full Liquid Glass look instead of the mild-baked version we see currently.

Add as a preferred source on Google
Samsung Galaxy S26 showing the storage menu on One UI 8.5
Samsung Galaxy S26 showing the storage menu on One UI 8.5 Vikhyaat Vivek / Digital Trends
galaxy unpacked 2025
This story is part of our Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2026 coverage
Updated less than 4 days ago

Samsung appears to be preparing a major visual overhaul for One UI, with early leaks suggesting One UI 9.5 could adopt a more glass-like design with shinier edges, transparency, and greater visual depth.

The reported changes surfaced shortly after Samsung began rolling out One UI 9 Beta 5 for the Galaxy S26 series. According to Android Central, tipster Fahad Ali shared leaked screenshots of the upcoming interface on X, offering an early look at Samsung’s apparent design direction.

Samsung could be giving One UI a glassier makeover

The leaked screenshots suggest Samsung is experimenting with a glass-inspired interface across parts of One UI 9.5. Elements such as Samsung’s widgets, including Now Brief and Floating UI components, reportedly feature shinier edges, while some Samsung-made apps appear to have a more glass-like appearance around their borders.

Recommended Videos

Some interface elements could also blur when placed over other objects, creating more separation between foreground controls and the background. Another reported change involves a subtler backdrop shading effect, which Samsung could use to create more visual depth between interface elements and whatever sits behind them.

Exclusive first look at One UI 9.5 running on the Galaxy S26! ✨

​Notice the new design polish? Samsung is introducing subtle backdrop shading across home screen widgets, bottom navigation bars, and top header action buttons.

They have also introduced Search in Dialer which… pic.twitter.com/xOoIv1XPL4

— Fahad Ali Javed (@fahadalijaved) August 14, 2026

The Phone app appears largely unchanged in the leaked material, although the search icon has reportedly moved into the floating navigation bar at the bottom of the screen. The icon sits between the contact button and the three-dot menu. Samsung may also be preparing an App Lock feature for One UI 9.5. According to the report, the feature could allow users to protect selected applications using a password, biometric authentication, or another verification method.

The design direction is notable because it suggests Samsung is continuing to experiment with more pronounced visual effects instead of simply refining the existing One UI interface.

Don’t expect One UI 9.5 on phones anytime soon

One UI 9.5 is still a rumor, and Samsung has not officially announced the update or confirmed the leaked design. The timing also suggests Galaxy owners will have to wait. Samsung recently rolled out One UI 9 Beta 5 to Galaxy S26 devices, while reports suggest One UI 9.5 may not arrive until April or May 2027. There is also a possibility that Samsung will not launch a public beta program for One UI 9.5 this year.

For now, the leaked screenshots offer an early glimpse rather than a finished product. Samsung could change or remove individual elements before release, particularly since the software remains deep in development.

If the reported direction survives testing, One UI 9.5 could give Samsung phones a noticeably different look, with glass effects and added depth becoming more prominent across the interface.

Moinak Pal
Moinak Pal is has been working in the technology sector covering both consumer centric tech and automotive technology for the…
Quick Share AirDrop compatibility could soon arrive on the Pixel 7 and Pixel 8
The rollout is not official yet, but older Pixel users are beginning to see AirDrop-compatible Quick Share alerts
The back of the Google Pixel 7, held in a man's hand.

Google’s AirDrop-compatible Quick Share feature may finally be reaching some older Pixel devices that were left out of the initial rollout.

As spotted by Android Authority, Pixel 7 and Pixel 8 users have started receiving notifications saying they can now share files with Apple devices through AirDrop. Similar support has also been spotted on the Pixel Tablet, which has so far been absent from Google’s official compatibility list.

Read more
ESR unveils a new wireless charging pad with active cooling tech, two new cases, and a Corning glass screen protector
Electronics, Mobile Phone, Phone

ESR rarely reinvents its category. It keeps sanding off the annoying parts. The company’s latest lineup, unveiled at IFA 2026, leans hard into that concept. 

In Berlin, the company revealed three new charging devices and three new protective accessories for smartphones. They’re headlined by a charger that actively cools itself while it charges your phone.

Read more
Motorola’s wide foldable just leaked, and it could fix the Galaxy Z Fold 8’s biggest problem
Here's your first real look at Motorola's next big foldable, sketches and all.
Electrical Device, Switch, Electronics

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, the company’s first wide foldable, became a sleeper hit that no one saw coming. It was quite obvious Samsung made the wide fold in a preemptive attempt to compete with the upcoming iPhone Ultra, but it struck gold. The phone is selling so well now that the company is facing severe component shortages. 

It seems other companies have seen Fold 8’s success and are taking their own stab at making a wide foldable. According to a new report from Android Headlines, Motorola is working on a wide foldable phone, and we just got our first real look at it. An anonymous source shared exclusive sketches with the outlet, giving us a solid idea of the device's design before Motorola has said a word.

Read more