The stable One UI 8.5 update has been rolling out since May 6, 2026, and it has already reached dozens of Galaxy devices. There may still be a few devices in the queue, but unfortunately, many older Galaxy devices will miss out on this big software upgrade.
Samsung has released the One UI 8.5 update to devices ranging from flagship to entry-level, launched in 2023 and later, but many devices launched before 2022 won’t be upgraded to the latest software, as per a report from Sammobile. The list also includes flagship phones such as the Galaxy S22, Galaxy Z Fold 4, and Galaxy Z Flip 4.
Many Samsung users believed that the One UI 8.5 update would roll out to every Galaxy phone and tablet running One UI 8.0, as both releases are based on Android 16. But the company may have opted for a different rollout strategy this year, and it’s likely that the Galaxy S22 series and many devices launched before 2023 won’t be upgraded to One UI 8.5.
Here’s a list of Galaxy devices that may not receive the One UI 8.5 update:
- Galaxy S22, S22+, S22 Ultra
- Galaxy S21 FE
- Galaxy A73, A53, A33
- Galaxy Z Fold 4, Z Flip 4
- Galaxy Tab S8, Tab S8+, Tab S8 Ultra
- Some other devices from 2022
It’s a little surprising that Samsung actually started developing One UI 8.5 for the Galaxy S22, as test builds were spotted on servers, but the company later halted development. There has been no new test build since early April. The same thing has happened to several Galaxy devices launched in 2022.
In a press release on Samsung’s Germany Newsroom, the company announced that the One UI 8.5 update would be available on flagship devices as far back as the Galaxy S23 and on the last three generations of Galaxy A-series phones. While it doesn’t include the list of eligible devices, it confirms that One UI 8.5 is not coming to older phones launched in 2022 or before, at least most of them.
Also read: One UI 8.5 vs One UI 8.0: 5 major upgrades you can’t ignore
Technically, Samsung has already fulfilled the promised number of OS upgrades for the Galaxy S22 and other older devices that may not receive the One UI 8.5 update. The S22 launched with Android 12 and promised four generations of Android OS upgrades. That means Android 16 was the final one. And the company doesn’t guarantee subsequent updates for such devices, even if the OS version remains the same.
Still, many users would expect to receive One UI 8.5, especially since it brings a host of new features and significant improvements. However, that might only lead to disappointment for older Galaxy users.
Samsung hasn’t revealed why it won’t release the One UI 8.5 update to many older Galaxy devices, but a strong possibility is optimization challenges. Previously, it was easy to port a new skin (let’s say One UI 6.1) to an older device simply because it shared the exact same core foundation as the previous build (such as One UI 6.0). But the same doesn’t apply to One UI 8.5.
One UI 8.5 is based on Android 16 QPR2, whereas One UI 8.0 uses the original Android 16 at its core. QPR2 is a new branch of Android 16 that introduces a number of underlying code changes, updated APIs, and newer developer tools. These platform changes and optimization challenges may be why Samsung may have decided not to upgrade all older devices to One UI 8.5.
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