Samsung’s Android 15 update, known as One UI 7, has taken a very long time to arrive. Google finished Android 15 six months ago, but Samsung is only now preparing to roll out the stable version. That rollout is expected to start next week.
The delay has been frustrating. Samsung didn’t even release a beta version of One UI 7 until December 2024. Then, in January, the Galaxy S25 series launched with One UI 7 pre-installed. However, users with older phones had no access to the update. It’s only now, in April, that the stable version is finally ready to begin rolling out. It’s been a long wait.
One UI 8 May Launch Much Faster
But things could improve with the next update. A new report from SamMobile says that Samsung plans to launch its Android 16-based One UI 8 alongside its next foldable phones—the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7.
That means Samsung may skip the usual One UI 7.1 or 7.1.1 updates and go straight to One UI 8. This fits with earlier reports that Samsung has already started internal testing of One UI 8.
If true, this would be a big change. The rollout would happen much faster than One UI 7’s slow schedule.
Fold 7 and Flip 7 May Be the First with Android 16
Samsung is expected to launch the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7 around July. That’s the same time the Fold 6 and Flip 6 came out last year—on July 10, 2024. While we don’t yet have the exact release date for the new foldables, a July window seems likely.
Google is also moving quickly with Android 16. The final beta version, Beta 4, is expected this month. Android 16 could launch in June or July. If Samsung sticks to this new schedule, its foldables could be the first non-Pixel phones to launch with Android 16 out of the box.
There’s no news yet about when the Galaxy S25 or older Galaxy phones will get One UI 8, but it looks like things will move much faster this time around.
