Samsung is preparing to make a major change in the Galaxy ecosystem as multiple sources say the company will stop partnering with Microsoft OneDrive for photo and video backup, and instead launch a paid Samsung Cloud service. According to leaked information from the One UI 8.5 build, this plan could start from April 2026.

Developers have discovered many code snippets in the Gallery app and One UI 8.5 that reveal the return of Samsung Cloud with a completely new direction. Notably, the account @DevOfIpos on the social network X shared screenshots showing that Samsung is testing two cloud storage plans, including 49GB and 199GB, with a temporary price of 1 USD/month, which is said to be a trial price before the official announcement.

Currently, Samsung Cloud offers 15GB free to all Galaxy users. However, with the plan to expand paid storage capacity, Samsung seems to want to completely control the data ecosystem, instead of relying on external partners such as OneDrive or Google Drive.

This move also shows that the company is promoting a comprehensive synchronization strategy in the Galaxy ecosystem, providing a more seamless experience when backing up, restoring, and managing photos and videos on all Samsung devices. With 15GB free, ordinary users can still comfortably store, but those who regularly take 4K photos, record HDR videos or use multiple Galaxy devices may want to upgrade to a paid plan.

Although the final price and capacity have not been confirmed, experts say that Samsung will have to compete directly with Google Drive (up to 2TB), Microsoft OneDrive (up to 6TB for family plans,) and Apple iCloud+ (up to 12TB). Therefore, Samsung Cloud will certainly not stop at 199GB as in the test version.

If you're using OneDrive to back up your data, now is a good time to prepare for the transition. Make sure all your photos and videos are backed up, and be ready to try Samsung's new cloud storage service when One UI 8.5 or the Galaxy S26 series officially launches.