Samsung’s Free OS Upgrade That Reaches the Cheapest Galaxy Phones
One UI 8.5 rollout status, confirmed features, and what’s still unconfirmed — all in one place
Samsung’s One UI 8.5, built on Android 16 QPR2, has reached some of the most affordable Galaxy phones in the lineup. The Galaxy A07 5G — Samsung’s cheapest 5G Galaxy phone — started receiving the update across Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Taiwan, and Vietnam in late May 2026. The Galaxy M55, a mid-range device launched in March 2024, received the update in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka around the same time. Both devices gain refreshed UI visuals, a customisable Quick Panel, Direct Voicemail, and the May 2026 security patch. The M55 also picks up new camera filters and the upgraded Bixby powered by Perplexity AI. Meanwhile, Galaxy S25 owners are watching closely — unconfirmed reports suggest two Galaxy S26-exclusive AI notification features may arrive via a June 2026 One UI 8.5 update. For context on Samsung’s broader AI push and how it compares with platform moves like Apple’s iOS 26 testing cycle, the competitive picture is moving fast.
Which Galaxy Gets One UI 8.5?
Status reflects Samsung’s confirmed rollout as of June 2026. All confirmed, rolling-out, and excluded devices listed below.
One UI 8.5 Feature Explorer
Tap any category to expand it and read what’s confirmed, what’s unconfirmed, and what remains S26-exclusive.
🤖 Galaxy AI Features
Audio Eraser
Removes background noise from existing video clips — wind, crowd, traffic — without re-recording. Available on Galaxy S25 and newer.
Confirmed — S25 & upCreative Studio
AI-powered image editing and generation tools, brought down from the Galaxy S26 in the first One UI 8.5 wave for S25 devices.
Confirmed — S25 & upCall Screening
The AI assistant automatically answers unknown calls, asks what the caller wants, and delivers a transcribed summary. Supported as far back as the Galaxy S23.
Confirmed — S23 & upUpdated Photo Assist
Enhanced AI photo editing tools, part of the first S26-to-S25 feature transfer with One UI 8.5.
Confirmed🤖 Bixby with Perplexity AI
Bixby Powered by Perplexity AI
One UI 8.5 brings a major Bixby overhaul. The assistant now uses Perplexity AI for web-connected queries — handling complex questions, generating citation-backed responses, and displaying results in a floating overlay without leaving your current app. For device-level controls like toggling settings, Bixby continues to handle these natively. The M55 and A-series devices receiving One UI 8.5 also gain access to this upgraded Bixby.
Confirmed — official Samsung announcement🎛️ Design & UI
Refreshed UI Visuals
One UI 8.5 ships with updated interface visuals across menus, settings, and the Quick Panel. The look is cleaner compared to One UI 8.0.
Confirmed — all eligible devicesCustomisable Quick Panel
The Quick Panel gets expanded customisation options in One UI 8.5, allowing more granular control over toggles and layout. Available on all devices receiving the update, including the Galaxy A07 5G and M55.
Confirmed — all eligible devices📡 Connectivity
Quick Share AirDrop Compatibility
One UI 8.5 is built on Android 16 QPR2 and enables Quick Share cross-platform file transfers with Apple devices. This extends to older devices including the Galaxy S23 and Z Fold 5.
Confirmed — S23 / Z Fold 5 & upDirect Voicemail
Direct Voicemail access comes to all devices receiving One UI 8.5, including the Galaxy A07 5G and M55.
Confirmed — all eligible devices⏳ Coming Soon? (Unconfirmed)
Priority Notifications (Notification Highlights)
This Galaxy S26-exclusive feature uses AI to rank and surface important alerts at the top of the notification shade. According to a May 28, 2026 post by tipster Tarun Vats on X, Samsung may bring this to the Galaxy S25 series with a June 2026 One UI 8.5 update. Samsung has not officially confirmed this.
Unconfirmed — S26 exclusive for nowSummarise Notifications
Condenses group chat threads and long messaging conversations into short AI-generated digests, without opening the app. Also tipped for the Galaxy S25 series in the same June 2026 update. Samsung has not officially confirmed this.
Unconfirmed — S26 exclusive for now
One UI 8.5: The Timeline So Far
From the Galaxy S26 launch to the cheapest eligible Galaxy phones.
Is Your Galaxy Getting One UI 8.5?
Tap your device series below to instantly check eligibility status.
Galaxy S26 Series
Galaxy S25 Series
Galaxy S24 & S23 Series
Galaxy Z Fold / Flip (2023–2025)
Galaxy Z Fold 4 / Flip 4
Galaxy A Series (2023–2025)
Galaxy A Series (2022 or older)
Galaxy M / F Series
Galaxy S22 Series
To check manually on your device: Settings → Software Update → Download and Install
Why the Galaxy S22 Is Likely Missing Out
One UI 8.5 is based on Android 16 QPR2 — a distinct branch from the original Android 16 used by One UI 8.0. In previous years, mid-cycle One UI point releases shared the same core code as their major release, making porting to older hardware straightforward. QPR2 includes additional platform-level changes and updated APIs, making the process more resource-intensive for legacy devices. Samsung halted One UI 8.5 development for Galaxy S22 and other pre-2023 devices by early April 2026. Since devices like the Galaxy S22 and A53 already received Android 16 via One UI 8.0 — completing Samsung’s four-year OS update commitment — mid-cycle updates like One UI 8.5 were never a contractual requirement. For more on how software longevity shapes hardware value and what drives the upgrade cycle, the context matters.
Samsung’s One UI 8.5 rollout and its eligibility boundaries were covered in this piece. The update has been distributed progressively from flagship Galaxy S and Z series devices to mid-range and budget phones, reaching the Galaxy A07 5G and Galaxy M55 in late May 2026. Confirmed features including Bixby with Perplexity AI, Audio Eraser, Creative Studio, Call Screening, and Quick Share AirDrop compatibility were examined. The potential arrival of Priority Notifications and Summarise Notifications on the Galaxy S25 series — attributed to unconfirmed reports by tipster Tarun Vats — was also covered. The exclusion of Galaxy S22 and other pre-2023 devices, and the technical explanation tied to Android 16 QPR2, were examined as part of this story. For related platform security coverage, this piece on active phishing threats targeting mobile and platform users covers the security landscape alongside software update cycles.
