Samsung just launched the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Z Fold 8 Ultra, and Z Flip 8, all running the stable version of One UI 9 out of the box. But Galaxy S25 owners have been sitting on the sidelines watching the new foldables get all the attention. That’s about to change.
According to SammyGuru, firmware tracker Fahad Ali Javed spotted that Samsung has kicked off internal testing of the first One UI 9 beta build for the Galaxy S25. The build in question, labeled ZZG8, is currently being tested on Samsung’s Korean server. That might sound like a small detail, but Korean server activity is usually one of the first signs that a wider rollout is getting close. Samsung typically starts internal testing in Korea before pushing beta builds to other markets, so this is a meaningful signal.
Right now, One UI 9 is exclusive to the Galaxy S26 lineup. Samsung has already pushed through four rounds of beta updates across supported regions for those devices, which means the software is maturing fast. Expanding the beta to older flagships like the S25 series is the logical next step, and it looks like Samsung is moving on that sooner rather than later. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 are also expected to get One UI 9 beta access around the same time.
So what’s actually coming to the S25 once the beta drops? A few features worth getting excited about:
- Horizontal Lock — lets you force apps into landscape mode
- My FanCam — a feature aimed at capturing live event footage more creatively
- Warranty and Care hub — a new dedicated section to manage your device coverage
- Secure Locking — adds an extra layer of protection for your lock screen settings
None of these are particularly flashy on paper, but they’re the kind of quality-of-life improvements that add up over time. Horizontal Lock in particular has been something Android power users have wanted for years, and it’s nice to see Samsung finally addressing it properly through the OS rather than leaving it to third-party workarounds.
The bigger picture here is that Samsung is doing a much better job this year of keeping older flagships in the loop. The S25 came out less than a year ago, and it’s already getting beta access to the next major OS iteration. That’s a reasonable turnaround, especially compared to how things used to go when software updates for non-current devices felt like an afterthought.
No release date has been confirmed yet for the public beta, but with internal testing already underway on Korean servers, it’s safe to expect an announcement in the coming weeks. If you’re on a Galaxy S25, S25 Plus, or S25 Ultra, keep an eye on your Software Update settings. This one is coming.