Samsung’s One UI 8.5 Beta Brings a Fresh Feel to Galaxy Devices
Samsung has recently released the beta version of One UI 8.5, running on Android 16 QPR2, which promises to enhance the user experience on Galaxy smartphones. Testing the update on a Galaxy S25 Ultra reveals several thoughtful improvements that make the interface feel refreshed and more personalised. Even though the update is still in beta, it already offers a range of features that could significantly improve how users interact with their devices.
Enhanced Customisation and Smarter Battery Management
One UI 8.5 builds on the customisation introduced in One UI 8.0 by giving users greater control over the Quick Settings panel. Now, it is possible to resize tiles, reorder them freely, or even strip the panel down to the essentials, allowing for a truly personalised control centre. This flexibility means users can arrange their settings in a way that suits their habits rather than following a fixed layout.
Another notable improvement lies in battery management. The updated Battery settings page features a cleaner layout that highlights power consumption more clearly. More importantly, the Power Saving menu now offers two distinct modes: standard and maximum. Standard mode allows users to cap CPU performance and toggle features like always-on display, brightness, and motion smoothness. Maximum mode goes further by limiting background apps to only those deemed essential, helping to extend battery life more effectively. These additions complement Samsung’s existing battery tools, such as sleep charging caps and protection toggles, making battery care more straightforward and efficient.
Subtle Visual Tweaks and AI-Powered Wallpaper Adjustments
Visually, One UI 8.5 introduces subtle changes that hint at Apple’s design language, including pastel gradients and white pill-shaped docks, which contrast with One UI’s traditionally vibrant and playful style. While these shifts may not appeal to everyone, the interface retains its distinctive character through smooth animations and familiar design elements.
A smaller but clever addition is the AI-driven wallpaper adjustment. This feature automatically shifts the wallpaper to prevent lock-screen clocks and widgets from obscuring important parts of the image, such as faces or pets. This simple tweak removes the hassle of manually cropping wallpapers to achieve the perfect look, enhancing the overall user experience.
Upgrades to Samsung’s Native Apps and Ecosystem Integration
Samsung has also enhanced several of its default apps to improve everyday usability. The Weather app now includes a rain forecast graph and a pollen index for trees, grass, and ragweed, which will be particularly useful during allergy seasons. Meanwhile, the Clock app has been upgraded to display current weather on the alarm screen and offers a new timezone feature with a graphical globe interface, simplifying time conversions for users working across different regions.
For those invested in Samsung’s broader ecosystem, One UI 8.5 introduces features like Storage Share, which facilitates browsing and transferring files across devices, and a new Smart View shortcut for quick phone mirroring. DeX users benefit from app windows reopening exactly as they left them, enhancing workflow continuity. Samsung Health also receives significant updates, including richer weekly reports, improved workout sharing, new meditation options, and antioxidant measurements, adding depth to the health tracking experience.
Looking Ahead: What to Expect from One UI 8.5
While the One UI 8.5 beta is still a work in progress, it already demonstrates Samsung’s commitment to refining its software experience. The update’s blend of practical enhancements and subtle design changes suggests a company that is both learning from competitors and striving to maintain its unique identity. As more beta builds arrive, it will be interesting to see how Samsung balances these influences and what additional features will make it into the final release.
Overall, One UI 8.5 breathes new life into Galaxy devices, making even a flagship like the S25 Ultra feel fresh again. Users keen on customisation, smarter battery management, and improved app functionality will find plenty to appreciate in this update.