Android 16 is finally arriving for Galaxy phones and tablets with a release schedule that will last through at least November.
The latest iteration of the Google mobile OS isn't a huge update like the iPhone's iOS 26, but it does provide the Material Expressive 3 redesign. Plus, One UI 7 was Samsung's big overhaul of its Android skin, with One UI 8 acting as more of a refinement update, since it's arriving just six months after that software release.
New features include an expansion of Now Bar and Now Brief to more devices, improved multitasking, AI-powered Portrait Studio, and a new Quick panel design on Galaxy tabs.
An official Samsung community forum post appears to confirm that a bulk of the compatible devices will receive the update in October. A conclusive schedule has not been released beyond that.
Here are the Samsung devices getting Android 16 in the coming weeks, or that already have access:
Out of the box
The initial rollout of One UI 8, based on Android 16, started on September 15, with some newer devices already having the update out of the box.
This year's S25 lineup was the first to receive the Android 16 update as part of the global rollout.
- Galaxy Z Fold 7
- Galaxy Flip 7
- Galaxy S25 FE
- Galaxy Tab S11
- Galaxy Tab S11 Ultra
Galaxy S series phone getting Android 16
As mentioned, Android 16 has already been rolling out to S25 phones for the last month. Last year's Galaxy S24 phones started receiving the update in late September, according to Samsung watchers like Tarun Vats.
Samsung has officially said its S22 handsets and the Galaxy S21 FE will get One UI 8, but the update hasn't been spotted yet. Meanwhile, the S23 lineup should be seeing the update now.
With the way the rollout has seemingly operated so far, I suspect the older handsets will receive the One UI 8 update in October or early November at the very latest.
- S25 FE (pre-installed)
- S25 Edge (September)
- S25 Ultra (September)
- S25 Plus (September)
- S25 (September)
- S24 Ultra (September)
- S24 Plus (September)
- S24 (September)
- S24 FE (September)
- S23 Ultra (September)
- S23 Plus (September)
- S23 (September)
- S23 FE (September)
- S22 Ultra (September)
- S22 Plus (October)
- S22 (October)
- S21 FE (November?)
Foldable phones
As mentioned the Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 shipped with Android 16. The older Galaxy foldable devices should update October and November based on the current schedule.
- Z Fold 7 (pre-installed)
- Z Flip 7 (pre-installed)
- Z Flip 7 FE (September)
- Z Fold 6 (September)
- Z Flip 6 (September)
- Z Fold 5 (September)
- Z Flip 5 (September)
- Z Fold 4 (November)
- Z Flip 4 (November)
Galaxy A handsets
Some of Samsung's midrange A series of phones are slated for One UI 8 with the Galaxy A56 getting it first. The rollout to these phones appears to be by individual model rather than series.
The Galaxy A56 got Android 16 in September, followed by the A36 and A55, while the A26 should be able to download the update in October.
- A56 5G (September)
- A54 5G (September)
- A53 5G (October)
- A36 5G (September)
- A35 5G (September)
- A26 5G (October)
- A25 5G (November)
- A16 5G (October)
- A15 5G (October)
Galaxy Tab S tablets
A wealth of Galaxy Tab S tablets are getting the update, with the just-released Tab S11 and S11 Ultra coming with Android 16 / One UI 8 pre-installed.
Most of these are supposedly going to update in October, with the Tab S8 families slated for November.
- Tab S11 Ultra (pre-installed)
- Tab S11 (pre-installed)
- Tab S10 Ultra (September)
- Tab S10 Plus (September)
- Tab S10 FE Plus (September)
- Tab S10 FE (September)
- Tab S9 Ultra (October)
- Tab S9+ (October)
- Tab S9 (October)
- Tab S9 FE Plus (October)
- Tab S9 FE (October)
- Tab S8 Ultra (November)
- Tab S8+ (November)
- Tab S8 (November)
Based on information we've seen from Samsung and Samsung watchers, the above devices should have Android 16 and One UI 8 but the first week of November.
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