After months of anticipation, Samsung finally released the One UI 7 update last week, only to pull it within days. The company abruptly halted the rollout due to bugs, and there’s still no clear timeline for when it will resume. While users wait for answers, a major leak from Samsung’s Remote Test Lab has already given us our first real look at what new features are coming with One UI 8.
One UI 8 is almost here, even as we wait for One UI 7
Samsung recently uploaded an early test build of One UI 8 to its Remote Test Lab, revealing what the next big update brings to Galaxy devices. Most notably, Now Brief seems to be finally coming to older models. Introduced with the Galaxy S25 series, Samsung didn’t ship this feature to older devices with the One UI 7 update.
The code for Now Brief already exists in One UI 7, but the feature is missing, suggesting that the firm withheld it intentionally. This test build of One UI 8 pretty much confirms that theory, as the feature works as expected on the likes of the Galaxy Z Flip 6.
Another welcome but overdue addition is Log video recording in the camera app. This feature also debuted with the Galaxy S25 and came to the Galaxy S24 series via One UI 7. Now, One UI 8 enables it on foldables like the Flip 6, making it a more widely available feature.
Besides this, Quick Share now has separate Send and Receive tabs. This makes it easier to control visibility — you can make your device visible just when needed and exit when done. This is a huge usability win over the current system, which forced users to stay visible for 10 minutes or forever.
This update arrives early, and there’s a reason for it
Samsung still hasn’t begun a global rollout of One UI 8. It doesn’t expect to complete the rollout before July. Meanwhile, One UI 8 is rumored to debut in the same month, i.e., July. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7 might run the new version out of the box. So, how did Samsung manage to get One UI 8 ready so quickly when it struggled big time with One UI 7?
The answer is simple: One UI 8 is a much smaller update than One UI 7. The UI remains largely unchanged, though a few elements in the Quick Settings panel now appear shaded. The Smart View button now functions like a toggle to turn the feature on/off rather than a shortcut to launch the feature. Similarly, the Gallery and My Files apps have received some cosmetic updates, like encircled icons, but nothing functionally different.
In fact, One UI 8 looks like a continuation of One UI 7, with a few delayed features sprinkled in. Most of its current features seem like additions that could have easily landed with One UI 7. Samsung recently confirmed plans to deliver a refined user experience with the next big update. In large part, One UI 8 feels like a rebadged One UI 7.1 or 7.1.1 — Samsung is skipping these minor updates this year because of a delayed One UI 7 release.
That said, One UI 8 is based on Android 16, so some core system-level changes will come baked in. The update is still deep in development, so we’ll have to wait and see what Samsung really has in store. If it indeed launches One UI 8 with the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7 in July, existing Galaxy devices could start receiving the update within Q3, at least in beta. We’ll continue tracking One UI 8 and will share more details as they surface.
