In certain areas, a number of Galaxy phones and tablets have already begun to receive the stable upgrade as part of One UI 8.5 rollout of Samsung.
We have been monitoring this update for some time. We have received a sneak peek at the Galaxy devices anticipated to get One UI 8.5 late last year, and more recently, we also discussed the anticipated One UI 8.5 release schedule. The stable rollout is no longer hypothetical. It is taking place.
On May 6, Samsung formally launched the One UI 8.5 rollout, starting in Korea and spreading to other countries a week later. The business states that availability will differ by model and market, which is a kind way of suggesting that while some users will receive it right away, others will have to spend days or weeks staring at the software update page.
Particularly for customers in Kenya and the larger African market, this regional disclaimer is important. According to my local tracking of Samsung upgrades, flagship Galaxy phones in Kenya and Africa are frequently not among the first to receive significant OS updates. However, the pattern isn’t always foreseeable. Depending on firmware channel, model number, carrier clearance, beta participation, and Samsung’s own rollout timeline, premium handsets may have to wait longer for updates than some Galaxy A-series and low-cost models.
Therefore, just because a gadget has One UI 8.5 does not imply that every Kenyan device has it. It indicates that Samsung has begun applying the stable build to that particular device. You could still have to wait for your own gadget. These are the Samsung Galaxy devices that we can confirm have begun to receive the stable One UI 8.5 update, based on the distribution thus far:
The first wave includes the Galaxy S25 series.These include Galaxy S25, S25+, S25 Ultra, S25 Edge and S25 FE. This was always expected, as Samsung’s latest mainstream flagship family often leads the rollout.
Now the rollout includes Samsung’s flagship models from 2024. The list now includes the Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24+, Galaxy S24 Ultra, and Galaxy S24 FE. Around May 18, the Galaxy S24 series started to receive the stable One UI 8.5 update worldwide. More recently, the Galaxy S23 series has also received the update.These include the Galaxy S23, S23+, S23 Ultra, and S23 FE. These smartphones were anticipated to be included as they are still well within Samsung’s upgrade window. Nevertheless, it is noteworthy as the S23 series remains popular in markets like Kenya, particularly due to imports and retail discounts.
The update has also made its way to Samsung’s latest foldables, the Galaxy Z Fold 7, Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE. Interestingly, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 are still being imported and sold by local vendors, despite Samsung’s official decision to skip them from the Kenyan market. So, when you buy one locally and through unapproved retail channels, it may impact when you get an update based on the region that your item was originally meant for.
The Galaxy Z TriFold receives the update as well. This device, like the Fold 7 and Flip 7 series, was never widely introduced in many areas and is not officially available in Kenya. But for the few importing Samsung’s more experimental devices, One UI 8.5 is already on the scene. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 have also been upgraded to One UI 8.5. Samsung was expected to include these devices in the early deployment phase as they are still relatively new foldables.
One UI 8.5 has also begun to be released on the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5. A consistent deployment was inevitable because these two were included in Samsung’s prior wide beta testing. Additionally, Samsung has updated the Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition with One UI 8.5.
One of the more significant additions is the Galaxy A56, which demonstrates that Samsung is not limiting One UI 8.5 to premium devices. For consumers who purchase Samsung’s upper mid-range phones and anticipate respectable software treatment without spending flagship money, the Galaxy A56 is now included in the stable rollout. The update has also been applied to the Galaxy A36. This is another noteworthy one since it verifies that, at least in some markets, Samsung’s most recent A-series mid-rangers will be included in the stable One UI 8.5 rollout early enough.
The list is not final. The present deployment is just the beginning, according to Samsung, as One UI 8.5 is anticipated to reach over 300 million Galaxy devices in the upcoming months. One UI 8.5 is still based on Android 16 and merely adds visual adjustments, enhanced customisation, and other new features; One UI 9 (Android 17) is still in beta.
We expect continue to see more Galaxy devices added over time based on Samsung’s current update behavior. However, the precise timing will differ greatly. The update might be sent to some users in a matter of days. Depending on the location and model variation, some might have to wait weeks or even months.
In Kenya, this is particularly true. The identical One UI upgrade may arrive at different times for a Galaxy phone purchased from Samsung Kenya, one purchased from a local vendor, and another imported from the US, Europe, India, or the UAE. Because of this, two persons using the “same” Galaxy phone may check for updates on the same day and receive different results. Not every device that got One UI 8 will get One UI 8.5 by default. The half-step of Samsung Some older and lower-end models have historically been excluded from One UI updates, and this seems to be the case once more.
Even though they are still eligible for security upgrades or upcoming maintenance releases, some mid-range and inexpensive Galaxy phones might not receive One UI 8.5, as SamMobile previously revealed. For Samsung’s x.1 and x.5, this is typical. One UI upgrade, which frequently puts flagships, more recent tablets, foldables, and some mid-range models ahead of everything else. Users of older Galaxy A, M, and F-series devices should exercise caution as a result. One UI 8.5 itself might not show up, but your phone might still get security fixes and, in certain situations, a future Android/One UI update.
