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Breaking: One UI 5.1 will rollout for old Samsung devices
Samsung is unveiling the Galaxy S23 and Galaxy Book 3 series at the Unpacked event. During the launch, Samsung officially confirmed the existence of the new One UI 5.1 software along with its availability for older Galaxy devices, very soon.
The new flagships come pre-installed with Android 13-based One UI 5.1 iteration, which is an upgraded version of the One UI 5.0. In addition to new features, the new version is better optimized with system and hardware so Galaxy users can make the most of their devices.
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I’m sure, you may have been wondering about the One UI 5.1 availability for your Galaxy device. I’ve a short and simple answer, if your Galaxy device is eligible for a major Android OS upgrade, One UI 5.1 would surely be delivered to your handset.
More specifically, the Galaxy S22 series, Galaxy S21 series, Galaxy Note 20 series and Galaxy S20 series are in line to received the One UI 5.1 software update along with the Galaxy Z Fold 4, Galaxy Z Flip 4, Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3. Check more in this article.
One UI 5.1 Features
Easier color tone change for selfies: It’s easier to change the color tone of your selfies using the Effects button at the side of the screen.
Quick access to Expert RAW: Expert RAW lets you take high-quality shots without processing or compression, perfect for those who want to have full control and edit photos later. Expert RAW is now easier to access from the More menu.
Shared family album: It’s easier than ever to share pictures with your family using Shared family album. Gallery will recommend pictures to add to your shared family album by recognizing the faces of your family members. You get 5GB of storage for each family member (up to 6 people).
Enhanced remastering: Remastering removes shadows and reflections automatically to make your pictures look great. You can also remaster GIFs for better resolution and clarity.
Simpler info display: When you swipe up while viewing a picture or video in your Gallery, you can see when and where the picture was taken, which device took the picture, where the picture is stored and more at a glance.
More powerful search: You can now search for more than one person or subject at the same time. You can even search for people without tagging their names just by tapping their faces.
Choose where to save screenshots: You can now store screenshots and screen recordings in the folder of your choice by setting it in Advanced features.
Use 3 emojis in AR Emoji camera: Take fun pictures and videos with up to 3 friends in Mask mode. You can replace your friend’s faces with different characters for fun by tapping the emoji.
Layout and edit option improvement in AR Doodles: Brushes are now available on the main AR Doodle screen for quicker access. You can also resize and move your doodles even after you create them, and the new eraser tool lets you erase just part of your doodle without removing the whole thing.
New Battery widget: The new Battery widget lets you check the battery level of your Galaxy devices. Right from the Home screen, you can see how much battery is left on your phone, Galaxy Buds, Galaxy Watch and other supported devices.
Intuitive weather widget: New illustration style and brief summary of the current weather condition lets you know the weather information intuitively if it’s sunny, cloudy, raining or snowing.
Different wallpapers based on your mode: Set a different wallpaper on your Lock screen and Home screen based on your current activity. Choose one wallpaper for work, one for exercising and more when you set the mode.
More conditions and actions for Routines: Automatically start routines when you use Airplane mode or Mobile Hotspot. Routines can now open an app pair, adjust the left/right sound balance and more. And now new actions let you control Quick Share and Touch sensitivity and change your ringtone and font style.
Collaboration in Samsung Notes: Create a shared note that several people can edit at the same. Write up a report with your coworkers, create notes for a study group, or draw a picture with a friend. The possibilities are endless.
Easier invitation to shared apps: You can now easily invite people to shared albums, notes and calendars using a link that can be shared via various apps such as messenger, email and social media.
Expanded Multi Control between Galaxy Book and phone: Share the mouse, keyboard or trackpad of your Galaxy Book with not only Galaxy tablet but also Galaxy phone now. You can copy and paste text, and drag and drop images from one device to another seamlessly — almost like they’re the same device.
Wi-Fi speakers on Media output: When you want to continue to listen to music on Wi-Fi speakers through Spotify Connect and Chromecast built-in™ just open Media output on Quick panel not music apps.
Continue browsing on PC: If you’re browsing with Samsung Internet on your phone and later go back to your PC, you can find the websites that were opened on your phone and continue browsing with the PC browser.
Use mobile hotspot on the PC with a single click: You can use the Internet by connecting to the mobile hotspot with a single click on your PC, without turning on the mobile hotspot on your phone and typing in the password.
Easily minimize or switch to full screen: You can now minimize or maximize an app window without going to the options menu. Just drag one of the corners of pop-up windows.
Easier access to the most used apps in split screen view: When you start a split screen view, the apps you use most often will be shown below your recently used apps to help you find the apps you need faster.
Improved multitasking in DeX: In split-screen view, you can now drag the divider in the center of the screen to resize both windows. You can also snap a window to one of the corners to make it fill a quarter of the screen.
Settings suggestions: Suggestions now appear at the top of the Settings screen to let you know about useful features to try or settings that need attention, so you can turn them on or check them right away.
Detailed weather info at a glance: Useful weather information now appears on the main screen of the Weather app. You can check severe weather alerts, daily weather summaries, hourly precipitation and color temperature graphs.
Bixby text call: Use Bixby text call to answer calls automatically and find out why the person is calling. You’ll see what the caller says in a text chat, and you can tap or type responses that will be read aloud to the caller. Bixby text call is only available in English and Korean.
Samsung has opened registration for the 8th ‘C-Lab Outside’ startup recruitment from June 16 to July 4. The program is looking for creative and promising startups to grow and work together with Samsung.
This year, the recruitment is happening in four regions, including Seoul, Daegu, Gyeongbuk, and Gwangju, to find talented startups from all over Korea. Startups working in areas like AI, robots, digital health, IoT, content and services, materials/parts, mobility, and ESG are encouraged to apply.
Eligible applicants must be Korean-registered startups that have received Series B or earlier-stage investments. Applications can be submitted via the official Samsung C-Lab website.
Startups selected for the program will receive up to 100 million KRW in support, office space, expert advice from Samsung, and chances to show their products at global events like CES. They can also use some of Samsung’s patents and explore ways to work with Samsung’s products and services.
There are already some great success stories of some startups. For example, Lyduck, a fitness AI startup, worked with Samsung to add its service to the Samsung Health app. Another startup, Pinpoint, created a smart building app that is now used in Samsung’s office buildings.
Back in 2018, Samsung started C-Lab Outside to help young companies grow and create more jobs. So far, it has supported over 500 startups. Now, Samsung is looking forward to more startups with the 8th C-Lab Outside Startup Recruitment.
Samsung Creative Development Center Vice President Jeon Pil-gyu said:
“We look forward to the participation of many innovative startups that can explore new possibilities and create synergy with Samsung C-Lab. Samsung will prepare for the future through joint growth with startups and continue to create successful cooperation models.”
Samsung TVs, Art Basel’s Official Art TV partner, launched the Art Basel in Basel (ABB) Collection today. This exclusive Art Basel digital art curation, available on Samsung TVs via the Samsung Art Store, features 38 diverse works.
It’s the largest Art Basel collection yet, showcasing global artists and galleries to bring world-class art to more homes. The ABB Collection emphasizes diversity, spanning continents, mediums, and voices.
For the first time, it includes an Africa-based gallery, enriching its cultural depth. Select pieces will be displayed at Art Basel, June 19-22, at Messe Basel, Switzerland.
With the Samsung Art Store, your TV becomes a personal art gallery, offering over 3,500 works by more than 800 artists. It’s available on 2025 Samsung TVs like Neo QLED 8K and The Frame, with Samsung Vision AI making the visuals and sound even better.
Image – Lynn Hershman Leeson’s Seduction (1985) shown on Samsung Neo QLED 8K
38 out of 100 artworks were picked with a focus on artist diversity, medium variety, and geographic representation. The collection shows both up-and-coming talents and well-known names, aligning with Art Basel’s dedication to contemporary art from everywhere.
Notable works include:
- Roméo Mivekannin, “Young woman with peonies after Frédéric Bazille” (2023): A compelling reimagining of classical portraiture from a postcolonial perspective.
- Basim Magdy, “An Intergalactic Messenger Teleported us to a Cave Settlement Ruled by Shared Compassion and Humility” (2022): A vibrant exploration of utopian futurism.
- Zandile Tshabalala, “Pink Blossoms” (2024): A powerful portrait celebrating Black femininity and nature.
- Antonia Kuo, “Willo” (diptych) (2024): A striking dual-panel composition that fuses digital manipulation with analog techniques.
At Art Basel, Samsung’s ArtCube lounge shows off how The Frame, MICRO LED, and Neo QLED 8K TVs make digital art pop with stunning clarity. You can check out the Samsung Art Store, create your own custom art portraits, and join talks about how tech and art come together.
Galaxy S26 series is expected to launch with One UI 8.5, and Samsung has reportedly kick-started the firmware development. If true, it’s a quiet revolution that would make a big shift in Samsung’s software distribution mechanism.
One UI 8.5 has been in rumors for the past few months. It will be a follow-up version of the One UI 8.0, built on Android 16. This mid-cycle version’s launch is highly likely, as it was also discovered in one of One UI 7’s hidden menus.
Recently, two credible Samsung tipsters claimed that the development of Galaxy S65’s firmware has begun. The sources specifically mentioned “One UI 8.5” as the software that is now being developed for the Galaxy S26 series.
Samsung could expand One UI 8.5 features to older devices via firmware updates. The Galaxy S25 series would get most of the new goodies, while Samsung may share some love with devices like the Galaxy S24, S23, and S22 series.
Here’s why One UI 8.5 is a quiet revolution
One UI 8.5 appears to be a significant upgrade over One UI 8.0. It’s coming after Samsung’s bringing no mid-cycle version over the One UI 7.0. There’s neither One UI 7.1 nor One UI 7.1.1 succeeding the One UI 6.1 and One UI 6.1.1.
Well, Samsung’s likely move to debut the x.5 version isn’t surprising for enthusiasts. Until the One UI 2, Samsung used to release x.1 and x.5 versions. With the One UI 3, the company replaced the x.5 version with a more minor x.1.1 iteration.
Galaxy S25 Plus – Samsung x Van Gogh Museum
One UI 8.5 not only sounds like a major upgrade, but it would indeed be. As Android 16 is coming early to Samsung phones, this mid-cycle One UI version would work like a gap filler at the company’s conventional OS rollout time.
Apple’s iOS 26 brings major design changes, and new features are also coming. We are hopeful that the One UI 8.5 will bring Galaxy phones an additional edge over the upcoming iPhones in terms of user experience and productivity.
Samsung is rolling out the One UI 7 update for the Galaxy A34, which brings hidden GPU tools for gamers. The company has taken extra time in initiating the rollout for this particular device, but the scope seems vast.
One UI 7 update installs Vulkan and GPU Watch tools onto the Galaxy A34. These hidden tricks are pretty useful for gamers, offering crucial metrics. That said, the One UI 7 brings much beyond a rich new user interface to the device.
Samsung’s One UI 7 update aims to improve GPU performance and adds graphics monitoring features. The famous Vulkan and GPUWatch tools are now available on the A34, allowing you to monitor GPU activity.
GPUWatch is a nice tool developed by Samsung for the developer community. When activated, it allows users to observe GPU activity, containing metrics like GPU Load, FPS. Detailed information is overlaid onto the screen in real-time.
The GPUWatch tool can be activated on Galaxy devices through Developer Options. You can do it easily by navigating to Settings > Developer Options > GPUWatch. When enabled, it shows FPS, CPU and GPU load, ID, API, resolution, and driver type.
Vulkan is the second major addition that replaces the legacy OpenGL. As compared to the previous solution, Vulkan brings notable improvements to graphics, while retaining efficiency to improve gaming performance.
Source: Tsuruugi / Reddit
All in all, GPUWatch is a graphics monitoring tool, while Vulkan, replacing OpenGL, improves GPU performance. One UI 7 has widely adopted the Vulkan graphics API on Samsung devices to level up experiences without hurting the battery life.
Samsung’s One UI 7 rollout is taking place gradually on the Galaxy A34. While the update’s available in most countries, a broad release may take some time. You can check for the updates via Settings > Software update > Download and install.
Samsung made a whopping 64 million Galaxy phones in early 2025, up 21% from last quarter’s 52.4 million, according to TrendForce. New Galaxy smartphones and extra stock before possible US tariffs fueled this boost.
The worldwide market flagged 289 million smartphones made in Q1 2025, a 3% dip from 296 million last year. Still, Samsung’s numbers soared, leaving rivals behind as its focus on shiny new flagship models paid off big time.
As predicted by TrendForce, the worldwide smartphone market sales would be sluggish in Q2. Meanwhile, Samsung’s stellar start to 2025 proves the company is ready to tackle challenges like US tariffs and tricky market changes head-on.
Apple, on the other hand, slipped to second place. Its production dropped 40% to 48 million phones from 80.1 million last quarter. The report mentions that Apple struggled in China, where sales slowed and subsidies didn’t help.
Worries about US tariffs pushed Samsung to act fast. The Korean tech giant built more phones to ship before new US rules could raise prices. This smart move helped Samsung grab the number-one spot in global smartphone production.
Source – TrendForce
China-based vendors, including Xiaomi, took third place, making 42 million phones, driven by China’s subsidy program. Oppo made 27 million, Vivo 24 million, and Transsion (Tecno) brought up the rear with 22 million units in Q1.
Tariffs are shaking things up
President Trump’s talk of a 25% tax on foreign-made phones could hurt sales. Research firms like IDC and Counterpoint now expect 1.233 to 1.839 billion phones shipped in 2025.
Samsung and Apple, producing in countries like India and China, face potential price hikes if tariffs hit. SigmaIntel even suggested shipments could drop to 1.1 billion units, with Samsung at 208.7 million and Apple at 202 million units.
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