While many are still savoring the last hours of the Christmas holidays, Samsung isn't slowing down. The company has continued with the testing program One UI 8.5Its next major software update for Galaxy phones and tablets is already in its third public beta in some markets.
This new version not only polishes errors from the first builds, but also begins to outline what we can expect when One UI 8.5, based on Android 16It will arrive in a stable version alongside the upcoming Galaxy S26 family. Among the fixes, battery improvements, visual changes, and hidden features are... Privacy Display or a Bixby enhanced with artificial intelligence, the leap promises to be remarkable.
Third beta of One UI 8.5: countries, supported model and approach
The latest One UI 8.5 beta build comes with the version number ZZA3 and is available to certain users of the testing program in South Korea, India, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United StatesIn all these markets, those who are signed up for the beta through the app Samsung Members You can now download it on your compatible devices.
For the time being, the public test is focused on the latest high-end range: The Galaxy S25 These are the only smartphones officially receiving this beta version. The rollout is being done gradually, so in some countries the update can already be installed, while in others, such as the United States, The OTA notification may take a little longer to appear..
For those already enrolled in the program, the process for checking for a new beta version is the same as usual. Simply go to your phone's settings menu, enter... "Software update" and play on “Download and install”If version ZZA3 is ready for your device, it will appear on the screen and you will only need to follow the indicated steps.
In this third beta, the focus is not on adding large, visible features, but on Correct errors, improve overall stability, and fine-tune performanceEven so, the code and leaks associated with these builds reveal interesting changes that will arrive in the short term.
Bug fixes and performance improvements in the ZZA3 beta
One of the areas that has been most strengthened in this beta is the optimization of energy consumptionSeveral users had reported abnormal battery drain when using certain apps with the early beta versions of One UI 8.5, something Samsung claims to have mitigated in this new revision.
They have also addressed issues with the user experience. Specifically, the company indicates that they have significantly reduced the Lag when using the "Live Effects" in the gallery, a function that in previous builds caused stuttering and a rough response when applying certain effects.
On a visual level, the beta version corrects a bug that prevented it from The clock on the lock screen will display correctlyThis problem affected the consistency of the interface, as the time widget could appear misaligned or not accurately reflect its intended design.
Issues with system applications have also been resolved. phone app It was receiving criticism for the malfunctioning favorites list, which is now working as expected again. In addition, the news panel Now Briefing It has been adjusted to correct display errors that prevented it from displaying properly on some units.
Finally, a small but useful tweak has been made to the widget manager, where it has Improved visibility of the search buttonPreviously, it might have gone somewhat unnoticed, especially in certain themes or backgrounds, but now it stands out more, making it easier to find and add specific widgets.
Camera changes: Single Take and Dual Recording regain prominence
The first betas of One UI 8.5 were not without controversy among advanced camera users. The reason was the complete removal from the main menu of two highly valued modes: Single Take y Dual Recording, which have been present for some time in the Galaxy camera app.
Samsung introduced an interim solution in the second beta, allowing access to these modes through Camera AssistantAn app that can be downloaded from the Galaxy Store and provides access to advanced settings. However, the change required navigating menus and losing immediacy to have these modes always at hand in the main interface.
With the latest revisions to One UI 8.5, the company has taken another step closer to the original behavior. Those testing the beta can Restore Single Take and Dual Recording in the camera modes menu Updating Camera Assistant to version 4.5.00.13.
After installing or updating this tool, simply open it—either from the app drawer or from the camera's internal settings—and scroll to the section on “Additional modes” and activate the switches for Single Take and Dual Recording. Once this is done, the two modes will reappear at the bottom of the camera app, as before.
This approach opens the door for Samsung to allow, in the future, [this]. further customize which modes appear in the main interfaceThis is something many users would appreciate in order to adapt the camera to their way of using it, without needing to keep visible functions they hardly use.
New battery management: optional icon and permanent percentage
Beyond the specific fixes, One UI 8.5 introduces a striking change in how the device's battery life is displayed in the status bar. In this version, the Battery percentage becomes a fixed elementalways visible, while the traditional graphic icon becomes optional and can be completely hidden.
En One UI 8.0 The logic was the opposite: the icon was permanent, and the user could decide whether or not to see the percentage within it. Disabling that option made all numerical references disappear, forcing the user to rely on the icon to estimate the remaining charge.
With One UI 8.5, that dynamic is reconfigured. The percentage number It is always kept in viewAnd the user can choose whether they prefer it to appear accompanied by a classic icon, integrated into a more modern kind of pill, or simply shown alone, without any additional outline.
This decision responds to a recurring demand from the community, which had been asking for it for some time. cleaner and more minimalist interfaces in the top bar. In initial beta testing, many users preferred the view with only the percentage, as it frees up space and gives a greater sense of order, especially on displays with punch-hole cameras or reduced notches.
Samsung has also taken the opportunity to subtly tweak the battery icon design For those who choose to keep it active. The new design is slightly wider and slightly shorter, aligning better with the dimensions of the mobile signal and Wi-Fi icons, which reinforces the sense of balance at the top of the screen.
Customization options and a new power panel
Access to these new features is via a familiar route for Galaxy users. Within the app... "Configuration", you have to go into the section of "Notifications" and from there, play on “Status bar”In that menu appears the new switch with which you can activate or deactivate the graphic background of the battery icon, leaving only the percentage if desired.
The changes are applied instantly, without restarting or leaving the screen, making it easy to try various combinations until you find the one that best suits each user. The intention is to offer a more organized and adjustable status barwithout forcing people to live with elements that some consider redundant.
At the same time, Samsung has completely redesigned the screen of battery configurationNow, the main section more clearly displays the current charging status, the estimated time to reach 100% or until it runs out, and a much more detailed graph of weekly device usage.
This reorganization concentrates information that was previously spread across several submenus into a single view, resulting in a more streamlined experience. easier to detect consumption peaksCheck which apps are using the most battery power or review how battery life has changed in recent days.
Along with the new design, the energy management tools have been refined, offering additional controls to decide when and how certain functions can spend resources, complementing the visual changes with practical improvements.
More configurable energy saving mode
El Power saving mode It also receives attention in One UI 8.5. The new version introduces more granular options that allow for better adjustment of the balance between performance and battery life depending on the situation.
On the one hand, a profile is maintained standard which the user can customize in multiple parameters: reduce the maximum brightness of the screen, limit the processor frequency, restrict background activity or disable networks such as 5G, among other possible adjustments.
On the other hand, a mode is offered to maximum savingsDesigned to maximize battery life when you have no choice but to push your device to the limit. This profile takes a much more aggressive approach, disabling most non-essential functions and prioritizing calls, basic messaging, and little else.
The idea is that users can quickly switch between profiles without wasting time searching through individual settings. Thus, One UI 8.5 aims to give the user more control over energy expenditure, in line with the feedback that Samsung has been gathering in the various testing phases.
Privacy Display and other hidden features of One UI 8.5
Beyond what's already available in the beta, analysis of the One UI 8.5 code has revealed features that aren't yet active, but which all indications suggest will arrive in future builds or directly with the stable version. One of the most striking is... “Privacy Display”.
This option, discovered in early versions by tech experts, is designed to make it harder for someone to view the phone's screen from a side angle. When activated in the settings, the interface darkens or fades at the sides, so the information is easily visible from the front, but much more difficult to read for anyone looking at it from the side.
According to the leaked screenshots in the app Samsung TipsPrivacy Display can be manually activated and deactivated, or left in automatic mode based on certain criteria, such as when leaving home or connecting to public networks.
Various sources have even shown an animation of how visibility changes when the phone is tilted, and suggest that a prototype of the device was used in those images. Galaxy s26 ultraIn any case, for now Privacy Display remains hidden in the beta code and cannot be used officially.
Along with this feature, the changelog points to other minor interface and security adjustments which Samsung will reveal as the final launch date approaches, and which could also affect integration with other devices in the Galaxy ecosystem.
Bixby gets an AI boost from Perplexity in One UI 8.5
Another area where Samsung is making progress with One UI 8.5 is the... voice assistants and artificial intelligenceVarious reports indicate that the company is working on a relaunch of Bixby supported by the technology of Perplexity, an AI platform focused on providing contextual, web-based answers.
The idea, according to leaked tests, is that the new Bixby will be able to handle more complex tasksThis includes tasks such as planning multi-step projects, handling queries with multiple variables, or generating recommendations that consider several factors simultaneously. The system would adapt to the complexity of each request, making better use of AI capabilities.
The shared screenshots show a familiar interface: the user asks a question, Bixby performs the search and displays a detailed answer with links to the sources consultedThe main clue to the integration with Perplexity is the presence of a specific button with its name at the end of the result.
This would be a similar agreement to those other companies have established to strengthen their assistants, and it raises interesting questions about how Samsung will share the spotlight between Gemini, Bixby, and other AI services on their phones. The company, in any case, will have to balance these new features with maintaining a smooth relationship with Google.
For now, this expanded Bixby remains in the testing phase and is not available to the general public. Everything indicates that One UI 8.5 will be the launching ground for many of these features, with a view to giving them a more prominent role in the Galaxy S26 series.
Testing schedule, devices, and planned deployment
The One UI 8.5 beta program started at the end of the year, focusing on the high-end range and, in particular, on the Galaxy S25The first wave of testing has been rolled out in key markets such as South Korea, the United States, and several European countries, including Germany and the United Kingdom, while regions like Spain are still waiting for access to be opened.
As development progresses, Samsung has been internally expanding testing to other segments of its product line. Among the devices already in validation cycles are tablets such as Galaxy Tab S8 and Galaxy Tab S9This proves that the company wants to adapt the new features of One UI 8.5 to larger screens as well.
The roadmap also includes mid-range and entry-level models, with devices such as Galaxy A06 4G within the devices that are receiving beta versions. This move suggests that some of the customization and battery management features won't be limited to flagship models.
As for dates, everything points to the stable and final version of One UI 8.5 It will debut alongside the global launch of the range Galaxy S26, planned for early 2026. From then on, the update will be gradually extended to older models that meet the hardware requirements, starting with the recent high-end range and, later, to mid-range tablets and mobiles.
For now, for those in Spain or other European countries where the public beta is not open, the only option is wait for the official deploymentAll the improvements currently being tested—from bug fixes to Privacy Display and new battery management—are part of the package that will arrive on compatible Galaxy devices in the coming months.
With everything that has been revealed, One UI 8.5 is shaping up to be an update focused on polish daily experience Rather than introducing radical design changes, improvements to the lock screen, contacts, and gallery, a more customizable status bar, new energy-saving tools, privacy features like Privacy Display, and the evolution of Bixby with Perplexity's AI create a more mature and flexible Galaxy ecosystem, where each user can better adjust how they want their phone or tablet to behave on a daily basis.
