One UI
No, Samsung Galaxy S8, S9, and Note 9 will not get Android 11 (One UI 3.0)
As the One UI 3.0/Android 11 is approaching its release many of the older Samsung Galaxy flagship smartphone users are curious to know if their device will get this major upgrade or not.
Meanwhile, Samsung representatives are busy misrepresenting and providing users incorrect information regarding the Android version upgrade policy and schedule for the Galaxy smartphones.
Following several reports, our team confirmed with Samsung that the company will only provide Android version upgrade up to Android 11 for the Galaxy devices that launched with Android 9 Pie or later.
You’ll be surprised to know that the representative of Samsung has provided some information that doesn’t match the paragraph above and proved them manipulating without noting the built-in Android version of some older Galaxy flagships.
According to the representative, the Galaxy Note 9, S9, and S8 devices will get Android 11 update. A support rep. even claimed that the Galaxy Note 9 device was launched with Android 9 Pie, while actually, the Galaxy Note 9 and S9 were launched pre-packed Android 8 Oreo.
Samsung’s update policy clearly shows that the devices launched with Android 9 will get three major Android OS upgrades and this information from the Samsung Support rep. raises false hope for the older flagship device owners like the Galaxy Note 9, S9, and S8.
In the past month, Samsung has rolled out One UI 2.5 for the Galaxy Note 9 and S9 devices, which adds various new features to these 2018’s flagship. Although, we favor that these devices should also receive Android 11 but unfortunately we have confirmed that there will be no One UI 3.0 update rollout for the Galaxy S9 and Note 9 devices, which leaves no conversation for the S8 devices.
Below you can check my full conversation with Samsung Support India and what conclusion we’ve reached on this matter. To be mentioned, I’ve repeated the same conversation for S9 and S8 devices and it was all the same. We hope that Samsung will feed better information to its customer care representatives so they can avoid such spread of misinformation.
What’s your take on this matter? Let us know in the comments.
Samsung has been actively testing One UI 7 builds for several Galaxy devices, with the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 being among the models included in these tests. As the development of the next major software update progresses, Samsung has moved forward with testing, and the first internal test builds for these two foldable smartphones have now surfaced online.
A recent report from a reliable tipster has revealed that the One UI 7 testing builds, F946BXXU4EXKN for the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and F731BXXU4EXKN for the Galaxy Z Flip 5, have been spotted on Samsung’s test servers.
This indicates that the company is moving forward with the internal testing phase for these devices and is working on enhancing the update ahead of its release for users.
These foldable devices just received a November 2024 security update based on Android 14 and One UI 6.1.1. This fresh update makes the app more ready for the next One UI beta update.
Samsung is going to release the One UI 7 Beta update in the coming days. The company will release the stable version next year with the Galaxy S25 series. After that, One UI 7 stable will be available for more Galaxy devices.
November 2024 security update now live for Galaxy Z Flip 5, Fold 5
Samsung has started testing One UI 7 (Android 15) on Galaxy S23 FE. It’s the first time when the software server has listed the latest build for the device. An internal test build has been spotted, suggesting the Beta is unlikely for the S23 FE.
Recently, an internal One UI 7 (Android 15) build surfaced on Samsung’s software server for the Galaxy S23 FE. The build carries PDA version number S711BXXU6EXKM, where “E” refers to a major version bump in the near future.
Samsung has significantly delayed this year’s Beta Program. The owners of Galaxy S25 smartphones still missing out access to the One UI 7 Beta. The public rollout is delayed till the first half of the next year.
Well, this long wait will end up bringing fruitful upgrades to your Galaxy. The company is exploring a brand new interface across the OS. Many new features are being added in the One UI 7, with AI upgrades due for the One UI 7.1 software.
Google and some other Android vendors started a stable Android 15 update rollout. The distribution commenced after months of Beta testing. Beyond that, Google has just kickstarted the Developer Beta of the Android 16 operating system.
One UI 7.0 update is expected to be released for your Galaxy S23 FE by February 2025. Samsung will unveil the final version alongside the Galaxy S25 series next year. Later on, eligible devices will begin getting the major firmware update.
Galaxy S23 FE runs an Exynos 2200 chip, offering decent performance. Samsung’s next big upgrade will elevate your phone’s animation and transitions to a whole new level. A tipster has recently revealed key information about the changes.
The software will introduce redesigned Quick Settings, independent Notification Panel, rounded UI components, smoother animations, reliable transition effects, faster app opening experience, easily accessible Camera toggles and a lot more.
Samsung has already begun rolling out the long-awaited One UI update for its smart TVs, based on Tizen OS 8.0. It introduces a design overhaul that brings elements of its smartphone UI to the big screen. Although the overall experience still feels distinct from the One UI found on Galaxy smartphones and tablets.
The One UI update for smart TVs brings changes to the Daily Board feature. This screen shows useful widgets and wallpapers, and now it has a more One UI-inspired design. Widgets like Weather, Notes, Tips, and SmartThings Home Status now have a similar look to what you’d see on a Galaxy phone.
Samsung Weather and SmartThings widgets look almost identical to the ones on smartphones. Moreover, the Samsung Notes app icon is also familiar.
Image: Samsung Newsroom
With the Daily Board, you can choose which widgets you want to display, change the background wallpaper, and set up automatic widget rotation. If you place more than four widgets on the screen, they will rotate automatically. However, there are some limitations. You can’t set a custom wallpaper only the preloaded options are available.
While the One UI update brings some fresh features, Samsung’s TV interface still has a lot of the old Tizen design. The Settings menu still looks very much like it did before, and the app icons, while similar, don’t fully match the modern style of One UI on phones.
Samsung is making progress in bringing One UI to its TVs, but there’s more work to be done. Future updates may bring more changes to make the experience feel even more like the One UI on your smartphone or tablet.
Aside from this, Samsung recently released a new update for the Daily Board app, which brings Night Clock mode and bug fixes to enhance users’ experience.