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So One UI 8.5, which will debut on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, just leaked in a hands-on video. And yeah, the iOS-ification of One UI is still marching forward. But this time, Samsung actually borrowed some genuinely good ideas, so I’m not complaining. Here are 14 new changes, let's get into it.
What’s up, guys, Sal here. Unlike One UI 8, which was more of a minor update, One UI 8.5 is shaping up to be a proper upgrade. Some people already managed to install it on their phones, and uncovered a bunch of interesting UI changes. And it’s not just pulling from iOS 26, but also some fan-favorite Pixel features too.
First off, the default dialer app got a major facelift. The tabs for Dialer, Call Log, and Contacts no longer stretch across the whole screen. Instead, they sit in a pill-shaped dock at the bottom. The call button even has a subtle drop shadow now, which One UI 8 didn’t have. And it’s not just the phone app—this floating pill menu shows up system-wide, in Quick Share, File Manager, the Gallery, basically everywhere. And apparently, Samsung may give us two styles: a standard version and a mini one. The mini is smaller and doesn’t have labels. These pills hide when you scroll down and pop back when you scroll up. Sure, people are calling it a blatant Apple copy, but honestly, it’s also following Google’s Material 3 design for Android 16. Not saying Samsung isn’t borrowing, but Material 3 plays a role too.
On top of that, the dialer also gets a new Direct Voicemail feature, basically iOS 18’s Live Voicemail, showing live transcriptions in real-time. Notifications have had some noticeable upgrades too. The Wi-Fi icon looks bigger, and the panel now uses that fading effect at the top and bottom, which looks way better than the abrupt cutoff in One UI 8. Even better, you can now fully customize the panel. Meaning you can literally add or remove anything, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, whatever, making it a lot more flexible. Earlier it was only limited to this middle section but now you can add or remove anything there.
The Settings app has been redesigned too. The home page now uses more compact menu items with no subtitle text. The AI-powered search bar floats above the menu, while a persistent search bar sticks at the bottom, like iOS 26. Drop shadows are everywhere—on containers, the search bar, and even the back button. Speaking of which, the back button now floats in the top-left corner when you scroll, instead of being part of the banner, but only when you scroll. At the top of a page, it snaps back to normal and the header returns. The software update section is also different. The first thing you see is the current One UI version, and the “Check for updates” button has been moved down to the bottom. It’s a noticeable change from how it looks in One UI 8.
Device Care also looks fresh. Instead of thin bars, things like memory, storage, and battery are now shown with wider bars that include percentage numbers. And the little emoji face showing device health? Well, it's gone. It’s just text now. Galaxy Themes got a tweak too. The new look prominently features a large paintbrush icon. Stock app icons, widgets, folders, and the app drawer seem mostly untouched for now, but some builds hint at small icon changes. That said, Samsung has a history of tinkering with these right up until final release, so we’ll see what sticks.
Across the system, Samsung has also started leaning harder into gradients – Quick Share, My Files, and more. And visually, it actually looks really nice. Samsung also tweaked the generative edit effects to look like iOS or should I say similar to Circle to Search effect when you select an object. It looks really good, so no complaints here.
Now, let's talk about some new features in One UI 8.5 that I'm genuinely excited about. First up, One UI 8.5 is testing an AI-powered notification summary, basically identical to what Apple did. Instead of scrolling through multiple notifications from the same app, you get a brief summary. On iOS, sarcasm and slang often get lost, so fingers crossed Samsung does it better. And not only will it summarize, but it’ll also group notifications based on priority. Again, straight out of iOS’s playbook, but this is genuinely useful, so I’m glad Samsung’s copying here.
Now, here’s a fan-favorite Pixel feature making its way over: automatic call screening. Right now, Samsung phones have Bixby Text Call, which is manual – you tap to screen the caller, and Bixby asks what they want. The new automatic version is smarter. It’ll kick in for unknown numbers, spam, or spoofed calls and generate a transcript automatically without you lifting a finger. Saved contacts won’t be screened, and you’ll still have the option to trigger the manual Bixby call if you prefer.
One UI 8.5 also brings AI to Samsung’s Modes and Routines. Previously, routines were limited to simple actions like opening apps or toggling settings. With One UI 8.5, you’ll be able to add “Ask Gemini” or “Ask Bixby” as routine actions. That means your phone can trigger AI queries automatically. For example, you can set it up like this where if you disconnect from work Wi-Fi, your phone can immediately ask Bixby or Gemini for current traffic conditions on your way home. Or if you get a long work email, Gemini can auto-summarize it and send you the key points as a notification. It takes routines to a much smarter level, and if Samsung nails the execution, this could be a game changer.
So that’s where things stand with One UI 8.5 right now—a substantial upgrade over One UI 8, bringing key features like notification summaries, AI routines, and automatic call screening. And this is still just what’s surfaced so far. We’ll keep learning more as we get closer to Samsung’s January Unpacked event where the Galaxy S26 lineup will officially launch with this software. And for the latest on the Galaxy G Fold and its new UI features, click right here and I’ll see you there.