Samsung could be gearing up to launch an Android 16 beta this month

A green and pink Android 16 logo on a Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra on top of a pair of blue and orange shoes.

What you need to know

• Samsung's One UI 8 beta could release later this month for Galaxy S25 users in limited regions.
• More wider availability might arrive in June, ahead of the Samsung foldable launch expected to happen in July.
• The fast pace of the brand's One UI 8 software upgrade comes following a disjointed and messy One UI 7 rollout.

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Samsung might make a One UI 8 beta program available based on Android 16 this month, according to a report from SamMobile. The publication says that it hears the One UI 8 beta will kick off in the third week of May 2025, which is less than two weeks away. In terms of availability, it's expected the One UI 8 beta will be extremely limited to certain devices and regions initially, with expanded access in June 2025.

The move comes following Samsung's internal testing of One UI 8. A version of the Android 16-based upgrade appeared on test servers earlier today, May 8, which is a sign that the South Korean company is preparing for a public beta.

The update, with build version S938BXXU3ZYEA/S938BOXM3ZYEA/S938BXXU3BYEA, was spotted on a test server for the Samsung Galaxy S25 by Tarun Vats on X (formerly Twitter).

Exclusive ‼️ Galaxy S25 Series: First One UI 8 beta build has been spotted on the test server. Build Version: S938BXXU3ZYEA/S938BOXM3ZYEA/S938BXXU3BYEA REPOST pic.twitter.com/UHecPVcn1oMay 8, 2025

Previously, One UI 7 beta builds started appearing on test servers a few weeks before they became available to the public. This is the first time a One UI 8 beta build has appeared on a Samsung test server, and it's a key indicator that the beta program could start very soon.

(Image credit: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)

The emergence of an early One UI 8 beta program might come as a surprise considering the struggles Samsung experienced delivering One UI 7, based on Android 15. That update was a multi-year overhaul that brought many challenges, whereas One UI 8 is expected to be a smaller and more manageable update. Paired with Google moving up its Android release schedule, this all helps explain why One UI 8 appears to be progressing quicker than expected.

Separately, it's rumored that Samsung will launch its new foldables — the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 — with One UI 8 out of the box.

For more news and information on Samsung’s upcoming foldables, check out our Ultimate Guide.