Galaxy S23 Joins Android 16 Testing as Samsung Prepares One UI 8

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Samsung has ramped up the development of its Android 16 update with One UI 8 on top. After the Galaxy S25 and a bunch of other devices, the Galaxy S23 series has entered Android 16 testing. The next big update for Galaxy devices may debut in July, though a wide rollout may not begin until a couple of months later.

Android 16 and One UI 8 spotted running on a Galaxy S23

A US carrier variant of the Galaxy S23 (SM-S911U) recently surfaced on Geekbench running Android 16. We spotted multiple Geekbench entries with varying scores. While the scores aren’t quite in line with current expectations for the phone’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chipset, further optimization should improve performance as development progresses.

This is the first concrete evidence of Samsung internally testing Android 16 on its 2023 flagships. We already know that the Galaxy S23 series is eligible for the One UI 8 update. Nonetheless, this early testing indicates a faster-than-usual rollout could be on the horizon. There have been rumors of a limited public beta testing starting later this month, and these Geekbench listings support those rumors.

If this materializes, it will be a massive turnaround for Samsung after a disastrous run with One UI 7. The company didn’t begin public beta until December, while the stable version only arrived this April. It is still rolling out One UI 7, with dozens of models awaiting the update. Samsung would do incredibly well to release One UI 8 with the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7 in July.

The next update may not be as massive as One UI 7, though. Based on leaks, it builds on the visual and functional foundations of the current version, with fewer new features. Note that the Galaxy S22 series is also eligible for One UI 8. The Galaxy S21 lineup (except for S21 FE) isn’t though, with One UI 7 being the final major OS release for the 2021 flagships.

Written by

Sumit Adhikari

Sumit, a life-long Samsung user, is passionate about technology and has been professionally writing on tech since 2017. He’s a mathematics graduate by education and enjoys teaching basic mathematics tricks to school kids in his spare time. Sumit believes in artificial intelligence and dreams of a fully open, intelligent and connected world.

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