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If you’re still holding a Galaxy S21 or a Z Fold 3, brace for disappointment: Samsung’s One UI 8.5 won’t be coming to a number of handsets that once felt future-proof. The company will debut the update alongside the Galaxy S26 series, and while some eligible models will be first in line, many devices that received Android 15 (One UI 7) won’t get this next refresh.
One UI 8.5 has already been road-tested in beta on the S25 family and it’s more than a cosmetic tweak. Built on a later Android 16 QPR2 base, it lets Samsung add deeper system-level changes—features that simply demand newer hardware or longer support windows. That’s the blunt reality behind the exclusions: not every phone that ran One UI 7 can realistically run everything Samsung wants to ship in 8.5.
Devices excluded from One UI 8.5
- Galaxy S21, S21+, S21 Ultra and older S models
- Galaxy Z Fold 3, Z Flip 3 and older Z models
- Galaxy A23, A14, A05, A05s and older A series phones
- Galaxy M14, M05 and older M models
- Galaxy F14, F05 and older F models
- Galaxy Tab Active 4 Pro and other older Tab devices
- Galaxy XCover 6 Pro and previous XCover models
Seeing your model on that list is frustrating. Understandable. But it also explains why Samsung is nudging users toward newer hardware or longer-supported lines. If staying on the cutting edge matters, look for phones that promise six or seven Android OS upgrade windows—those are the devices most likely to see One UI 8.5 and beyond.
So what does One UI 8.5 actually bring to the table? Short answer: meaningful refinements across the system. The Quick Settings panel is far more configurable now, letting you tailor toggle and slider layouts in ways that feel long overdue. Samsung’s app icons — at least its first-party ones — have picked up a subtle 3D shading that changes how home screens pop. Small, but they add polish.
The lock screen behaves smarter. It will shift the clock and date automatically so they don’t obscure your chosen wallpaper subject. There are new water-like visuals and fresh typefaces to play with. A handy partial-screen recording mode appears, too — ideal for capturing a snippet of an app or game without recording everything.
Security and nuisance controls got attention as well. A failed authentication lock can automatically secure a device when it detects suspicious behavior. An intelligent blocking feature aims to curb apps that spam ad notifications. Photo Assist has been improved so interrupted image generation no longer forces you to save every intermediate step. Small conveniences. Real-world impact.
If your phone is on the exclusion list, you probably won’t see One UI 8.5 through an official update. That doesn’t mean your device will stop working tomorrow. But it does mean fewer new features, fewer security updates tied to the latest framework, and — eventually — a shorter window to run modern apps smoothly.
If you want the One UI 8.5 experience, your safest bet is to consider a recent Galaxy that’s promised multi-year OS support or to wait for Samsung’s staged rollout, which typically pushes updates to older qualifying models several weeks after flagship launches. And if you’re curious whether your carrier or region will affect timing, check Samsung’s official update tracker for the most precise schedule.
Either way, keep an eye on the S26 launch: it will set the tone for which devices make the cut this generation, and which ones become relics of a very impressive — but ultimately finite — upgrade cycle.
Source: gizmochina
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