One UI 8.5 was actually the halfway point for their Android 16-based operating system. That update has now been unlocked in stable form, which means they can put all their energy into developing the Android 17 One UI 9 beta. The first official beta version was already released on the Galaxy S26 series yesterday.
There are obviously some regional restrictions in the way, so not all Galaxy S26 users are getting Android 17 beta on the spot. The update is actually coming to the German and UK variants only for now. There’s another condition that needs to be met.
Anyone who wants the taste of this One UI 9 beta has to enroll as a beta tester, and there’s no going back once you do. We are talking about the Samsung Members account, of course. A 3.6GB download will be waiting for you in the Software Updates center once you are in the beta program.
This new update will appear on the tester’s phones as firmware S94xBXXU2ZZEF. You can replace the letter X with the model number of the device you own. Well, beta testing is rarely conducted in Pakistan, so S26, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultra owners shouldn’t hold their breath.
Anyway, the update does seem to have a lot going for it, feature-wise. They say it has the security patch level up to May 2026. Samsung Notes app has new features in the beta, and the quick panel is even more customizable than before. And it seems High-risk apps get flagged by the system automatically.
The UK and Germany rollouts are just a start, it seems. They do have plans to beta test this new One UI 9 system in Korea and the USA. Poland could get a chance after May 26th. So we’ll probably hear more about the beta update as it progresses. Keep watching the news if you don’t want to miss anything.