Samsung is currently at a crossroads regarding the future of its One UI software. The release of One UI 7.0 has been postponed, and the company must choose between continuing development of One UI 7.1 or jumping straight to One UI 8. Recent reports suggest that Samsung has opted for the latter, but the wait for this new update may be longer than anticipated. An indicator of the delay is that Samsung has yet to release One UI 7.0, which is based on Android 16.
The company announced that this update will not be available until April, meaning that it could take several weeks for users to access it fully. In contrast, Google has decided to release Android 16 earlier than usual, with expectations that it will be launched in the first week of June. It remains uncertain whether Samsung will be able to release One UI 8 in conjunction with Android 16. Given recent trends, it seems unlikely, although it would be ideal if the new UI could debut alongside the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 devices.
Currently, One UI 8 is in its early development stages, as confirmed by a member of the One UI Beta team. They urge fans to temper their excitement over reports of devices running One UI 8.0, stressing that most have not been validated by Samsung and are likely part of internal testing. While some devices, such as the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Galaxy Z Fold 6, have been reported running One UI 8.0, it is essential to remain patient as the focus should be on the imminent release of One UI 7.0. Confirmation and updates should come from official Samsung channels rather than third-party sources.