Android 16 Source Code Now Official, But Samsung Was Ahead of the Pack

Time’s up, and the wait is finally over. Android 16 is now official. Google has announced that the Android 16 update is starting to roll out to Pixel devices. Along with the update, the tech giant has also released the Android 16 source code, giving other phone makers a chance to catch up and fine-tune their custom skins. That said, a few manufacturers, including Samsung, were already ahead of the game thanks to early access granted through special agreements with Google.

Samsung had early access to Android 16 source code, hence faster beta rollout

That’s why Samsung was able to kick off the One UI 8 beta rollout much earlier than usual. The One UI 7 beta was the most delayed in history, so we won’t use that as the yardstick. A better point of comparison is the One UI 6 beta, which started in August 2023. By that measure, the current beta is at least three months ahead of schedule.

What’s more, Samsung has officially confirmed that the stable version of One UI 8 will arrive next month, alongside its new foldables. In plain terms, the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7 will be the first devices to ship with One UI 8. After that, we can expect the update to trickle down to more devices, starting with the Galaxy S25 series.

Circling back to the original point, this early rollout highlights the advantage of getting a head start with the source code. Samsung, along with Xiaomi and OPPO, had early access to Android 16’s source code, according to Android Authority. Thanks to that, Samsung has been able to hit the ground running with its updates. Some might even see this as a way of making amends for the delays with One UI 7. At least, I do.

Between now and the final release of One UI 8, Samsung will continue ironing out bugs and introducing new features. The update will bring enhancements in multitasking, smoother animations, improved battery life, and deeper integration of AI smarts. Guess it won’t take us long to try out the One UI 8 stable.