Samsung is preparing to launch One UI 8.5 alongside the Galaxy S26 series, and now the first evidence of this interface version has officially appeared.

A few days ago, the first firmware of the Galaxy S26 Ultra was discovered on Samsung's servers, revealing that the software development process for the next flagship has begun to accelerate. At that time, there were many speculations that this software was built on One UI 8.5, but there was no clear confirmation. Now, that information has been confirmed.

SamMobile recently discovered firmware with the code S948USQU0AYG8 for the Galaxy S26 Ultra. The information in this build confirms that the device is running Android 16 with One UI 8.5 interface - the first time the name One UI 8.5 is officially mentioned, confirming the existence of this version. Currently, we are still continuing to analyze new features and changes inside.

Notably, it was previously reported that Samsung would start rolling out major One UI versions in the middle of the year alongside the Galaxy Z series, followed by the One UI x.5 update around six months later alongside the new Galaxy S series. Despite the “x.5” name, these updates are still expected to bring major improvements and notable new features.

This change is also part of Google’s strategy to sync up with its new Android release schedule. Google has now switched to a new development model to speed up its software rollouts, with major Android releases released in the middle of the year. To keep up, Samsung has also switched to a “trunk” development model, focusing on developing and maintaining a stable main branch for the entire One UI system. The company’s goal is to bring the One UI release rate closer to Google’s original software update schedule.

With the Galaxy S26 Ultra running Android 16 and One UI 8.5 out of the box, users can expect a host of significant upgrades when the Galaxy S26 series officially launches early next year.