Get ready, Samsung Galaxy fans! Android 16 is set to arrive as early as June 2025, bringing exciting changes to your smartphones and tablets. Google has confirmed that this new operating system will roll out to Samsung devices this summer, with some devices possibly getting it sooner than expected.

The big question: Will your Galaxy phone or tablet be eligible for this major update? Let’s explore which Galaxy devices will support Android 16.

Which Samsung devices will get Android 16?

Samsung maintains a clear software update policy that makes determining device eligibility straightforward. Here’s the breakdown:

Flagship Phones (Guaranteed Support)

• Galaxy S Series: S22, S23, S24, and S25 series
• Galaxy Z Foldables: Z Fold4, Z Fold5, Z Fold6, and upcoming Z Fold7
• Galaxy Z Flip Series: Z Flip4, Z Flip5, Z Flip6, and upcoming Z Flip7

All flagship phones launched in 2022 or later are guaranteed to receive the Android 16-based One UI 8 update. The upcoming Galaxy Z Fold7 and Z Flip7, expected to launch in July 2025, will likely come with Android 16 pre-installed.

Mid-Range Devices (Select Models)

Some mid-range devices will also receive the update, including:

• Galaxy A55
• Galaxy A35
• Galaxy A16 5G (with six years of updates guaranteed)

Samsung’s promise of four years of OS upgrades for select models extends Android 16 compatibility to these devices.

Devices that won’t get Android 16

Unfortunately, older flagships like the Galaxy S21 series won’t receive Android 16. Launched in 2021, these devices have already received the final major update with Android 15 (One UI 7).

What to expect from One UI 8

Samsung’s Android 16-based One UI 8 promises to be both smooth and exciting. Here’s some important information:

Key Improvements

• Slicker animations and smoother performance
• Subtle design refinements
• Enhanced user experience optimizations

New Features

• Android 16 Live Updates: Real-time notifications on your lock screen
• Samsung Now Bar Integration: Seamless experience with live updates
• Improved system responsiveness

Beta Program Timeline

Samsung is already testing One UI 8 internally. A beta program for devices like the Galaxy S25 series could start as early as late May or early June 2025. This update aims to avoid the delays experienced with One UI 7, ensuring a quicker and smoother rollout.

How to check your device’s eligibility

1. Navigate to Settings > Software Update on your Galaxy device
2. Check if your device is still receiving regular software updates in 2025
3. Review your device’s launch year and model

Update guarantee by Series

• 7 Years of Updates: Galaxy S24 series and newer foldables (2024+)
• 4-5 Years of Updates: Galaxy S22, S23 series, and their FE models
• 6 Years of Updates: Galaxy A16 5G

Stay informed:

You should regularly check Samsung’s official website or trusted sources like Sammy Fans for the final list of eligible devices when One UI 8 is officially announced.

Timeline and rollout expectations:

• Android 16 Release: June 2025 (Google)
• One UI 8 Beta: Late May to early June 2025
• Samsung Rollout: Shortly after Google’s release, starting with the flagship devices
• Priority rollout sequence:
  • Galaxy S25 series and new foldables
  • Recent flagship devices (S24, S23, S22 series)
  • Eligible mid-range devices

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

If you own a Galaxy S25, S24, S23, S22, or any Z Fold/Z Flip models from 2022 onward, Android 16 is headed your way. The update should begin rolling out to Samsung devices shortly after Google’s June release, with flagship models leading the deployment.

For users with older devices like the S21 or Z Fold 3, you’ll continue receiving security updates, but Android 16 may be beyond reach. Stay tuned for Samsung’s One UI 8 beta program to preview the upcoming features and ensure your device is ready for the next evolution in Galaxy software.

Google has announced many new features for the Play Store to help Android app developers reach more users and manage their apps better. These features aim to improve how people find on Play Store and use apps while making things easier for developers.

The new addition in the Play Store is topic pages, which let users explore apps related to over 100,000 shows, movies, and sports events. For example, you can search for your favorite TV show and see which apps let you watch it.

The topic pages will first be available in the US and will expand soon. It will appear on the Apps Home page, search results, and app listings.

Image via Google

Google is also adding audio previews for apps that offer sound-based content. This means users can listen to a short sample before deciding to download the app.

In early tests with Health and Wellness apps, this feature helped increase downloads by three times. Developers can also now add video carousels and highlight their best content on their app pages.

Image via Google

For developers, Google has added a new asset library in the Play Console. This tool helps organize images and videos used in the Play Store. The Curated Space feature will also roll out to more locations and categories in 2025. There are also new performance reports and a “Take Action” section that gives suggestions to improve app releases.

Developers can now stop a full app launch if they find a problem after release. Google has improved subscription tools, too. Developers can now sell add-ons along with their main subscriptions in one checkout.

Users will also get more reminders about their subscription benefits. If a user’s payment fails, developers can give them more time, up to 60 days to fix it before canceling the subscription.

Image via Google

Google is also working on security. The Play Integrity API can now better detect if a device is being used for abuse, even after it’s been reset. These changes are designed to make the Play Store better for both users and developers.

Google is moving at full speed. I am expecting the same from Samsung as the Android 16 QPR1 beta is already here, and we are still waiting for the first official word about the Android 16-based One UI 8 beta program.

Regardless of this waiting, Google’s latest Android 16 QPR1 Beta introduces one of the most requested features: resizable Quick Settings tiles.

Google’s Android 16 is expected to come next month, but it won’t bring the full Material You “Expressive” redesign, expect it to arrive with the September Pixel Feature Drop. However, you can enjoy the UI improvements by joining the QPR beta channel (Pixel device exclusive).

Resizable Quick Settings:

In this beta, you now have the ability to customize the Quick Settings panel with resizable tiles. This long-awaited feature allows for better space utilization and personalization of your notification shade. We tried this on a Google Pixel device running Android 16 QPR1 beta.

How does it work?

1. Access the edit mode by tapping the pencil icon in the Quick Settings panel.
2. Tap any tile to reveal a draggable handle.
3. Resize tiles between the standard 2×1 size and the new compact 1×1 size.
4. Create your ideal layout with up to 16 tiles in the first panel (compared to just 8 previously).

Note: The smaller 1×1 tiles display only the function’s icon, omitting text labels to maximize space efficiency. You get a “Reset” button at the very bottom.

The update also brings improved organization to your Quick Settings management. This easy categorization makes finding and adding specific tiles much faster than scrolling through an unorganized list. Unused tiles are now logically grouped into categories, including:

• Connectivity
• Utilities
• Display
• Privacy
• Accessibility
• From system apps

Apart from this specific feature, the update adds several other notable improvements:

• Redesigned brightness slider
• Updated internet tile icon
• Refined typography
• New Settings app icons
• Enhanced animations and blur effects

Do we have these features in One UI 7? Could we see this in One UI 8:

Samsung’s One UI 7, based on Android 15, does not support resizable Quick Settings tiles—a feature introduced in Android 16 QPR1 Beta. Users cannot adjust tile dimensions (e.g., from 1×1 to 2×1) in the current One UI implementation.

Available customization options include:

• Rearranging tiles (tap and hold to reposition)
• Toggling between split and combined panel layouts

The architectural difference between One UI 7’s split panel design and Android 16’s unified Quick Settings experience is notable. One UI 7 also lacks Android 16’s Material 3 Expressive features, including background blur effects.

For reference, Android 16 QPR1 Beta maintains a unified Quick Settings and notification shade, requiring two distinct pull-down gestures—one for notifications and a second for Quick Settings access.

If you are seeking resizable Quick Settings tiles will likely need to wait for One UI 8, which is expected to bring Android 16’s expanded customization capabilities.

I am curious about your thoughts on these latest features. Please share your opinion on my X profile @SamsungSWUpdate.

Google has announced some exciting new features for Android Auto, coming with Android 16. Users will soon be able to use video apps and web browsers in their car via Android Auto, but only in certain situations.

Android Auto will support video streaming apps, so you can watch videos on your car’s screen. However, this will only work when the car is parked, to ensure driving stays safe. Your phone also needs to be running Android 16 to use video apps, and your car must be one of the compatible models.

Moreover, browser apps are also coming to Android Auto. This means you’ll be able to access websites from your car screen, again likely only while parked. Google hasn’t shared all the details yet, but confirmed that the video and browser apps are coming soon.

Along with the video and browser support, Google is also making it easier for weather apps to be available on Android Auto and cars with Google built-in. Until now, only a few weather apps were allowed. But now, any developer can publish weather apps according to the quality standard, expecting to see more weather options soon.

These new features show that Android Auto is becoming more useful and flexible, while still keeping safety in mind. With Android 16, your car screen can now do more when you’re not driving. New features will give drivers more ways to stay entertained or updated with new information.

Google is making Android 16 better by adding a new and improved desktop mode, inspired by Samsung DeX. At the recent Google I/O event, Google shared that it has been working with Samsung to make the desktop mode feature more useful.

Samsung DeX is a feature that turns your Galaxy phone or tablet into a desktop-like experience when connected to a monitor or TV. Now, Google wants to bring this kind of experience to all Android 16 devices. This means users will be able to open and move apps in separate windows soon.

During the developer keynote, Google mentioned that it is working with Samsung to make apps work better in desktop mode, building on the foundation of Samsung DeX. This will help users do more tasks at once, which is great for work and getting things done faster.

Google also posted a blog saying that apps now need to work well on different screen sizes. Android is used on many devices like tablets, foldable phones, and large-screen devices. So, making apps adapt easily to all these screens is very important.

This shows that Google and Samsung are working together to improve Android for bigger screens and better multitasking. Some early test versions of Android 16 have already shown signs of this new desktop mode. However, it is not turned on by default in the current beta version.

One UI 8 Samsung DeX

Samsung’s One UI 8 leaked information also shows that DeX is getting a new design to match these changes. Samsung will reportedly make DeX look cleaner and easier to use.

As per the information, the taskbar is now centered, like on Windows, and shows your favorite apps even if they’re not open yet in One UI 8. This makes it quicker to find and use them. The app drawer also got better as it now opens in a small window, so you have more space to work or watch.

One UI 8 to bring a fresh look to Samsung DeX, smarter audio features, and more