Now Bar and Now Brief are the most useful features in One UI 7 that continue to remain in One UI 8 headlines. In One UI 8, Now Bar and Now Brief are the two most useful features for which Samsung users should be pretty excited.

1. Now Brief

Samsung introduced Now Brief in One UI 7, but the availability is limited to the Galaxy S25 series. Meanwhile, the One UI 8 update is all set to enable this AI-powered feature on even more Galaxy devices, including the Galaxy S24 series.

One UI 8 not just expands Now Brief to more devices. Recent developments suggest that the function is getting even more AI love. Based on data from Contacts, Now Brief will present AI-made Birthday greetings in a shareable format.

Credit – Samsung

2. Live Updates on Now Bar

Samsung’s Android 15 skin debuted Now Bar, which showcases live updates right on the lock screen. Google integrated a similar functionality in Android 16 version that’s called Live Updates and available on Pixel smartphones.

Android 16’s Live Updates are integrating with Samsung’s Now Bar in One UI 8. Google confirmed food-delivery alerts are coming to Now Bar as live alerts. The company is also working with third-party app developers to optimize real-time alerts.

That said, Now Bar is all set to unlock its full potential in One UI 8. Gradually, for sure, Samsung and Google will elevate live alerts. As new partners join, the Now Bar pill will present real-time alerts right on your Galaxy’s lock screen.

• A massive Now Bar upgrade adds Live Notifications you actually need

Another upgrade to the notification system that will be added in One UI 8 is force-grouping notifications. Android 16 intends to forcibly group notifications to reduce overload; you will be able to access the group with a tap

Now Brief and Now Bar are just two features that are enough to make One UI 8 a big upgrade. These enhancements are enough to make you eager for the next big upgrade, but there’s still plenty more to explore for your Galaxy.

One UI 7 is the most dramatic software update Samsung has ever released due to numerous reasons. The update has many new features, UI upgrades, and smooth animations that make it better than any other Android skin.

The past three quarters have brought numerous challenges for Samsung, including One UI 7 (Android 15) and 8 (Android 16) development, Galaxy S25 series release. Don’t forget, it’s also a big year for Galaxy AI features, which may have extended the firmware development for specific devices.

As of July 2025, this OS upgrade covered Galaxy S-series, Fold-series, Flip-series, A-series, F-series, M-series smartphones alongside Galaxy Tab-series tablets with this Android 15-based software. The rollout is now officially active for more than three months, and we’ve officially entered in One UI 8 era.

So, does that mean, One UI 7 rollout is completed for all eligible devices? Since we’ve been indulging ourselves into the whole story, we have created a monthly device upgrade list that you can review below. The list also mentioned the devices that are still waiting for this major release.

April

Samsung ended months of waiting by sending the first batch of stable One UI 7 for the Galaxy S24 series alongside Fold 6, Flip 6, and other devices. The initial upgrade met with an uncertain condition, including a brief halt due to an internal bug found in S24’s firmware version. Developers quickly fixed the issues and resumed the OTA distribution.

Here are the models that started receiving in April.

• Galaxy S24
• Galaxy S24+
• Galaxy S24 Ultra
• Galaxy S24 FE
• Galaxy S23
• Galaxy S23+
• Galaxy S23 Ultra
• Galaxy S23 FE
• Galaxy S22
• Galaxy S22+
• Galaxy S22 Ultra
• Galaxy S21
• Galaxy S21+
• Galaxy S21 Ultra
• Galaxy S21 FE
• Galaxy Z Fold 6
• Galaxy Z Flip 6
• Galaxy Z Fold 5
• Galaxy Z Flip 5
• Galaxy Z Fold 4
• Galaxy Z Flip 4
• Galaxy Z Fold 3
• Galaxy Z Flip 3
• Galaxy Z Fold SE
• Galaxy Tab S10+
• Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra
• Galaxy Tab S9
• Galaxy Tab S9+
• Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra
• Galaxy Tab S8
• Galaxy Tab S8+
• Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra

May

This month, Samsung kept on expanding the One UI 7 for the Galaxy S-series, Fold, Flip, and Tab series. Meanwhile, while also started upgrading A-series phones, M-series, and more tablets.

• Galaxy A73
• Galaxy A55
• Galaxy A54
• Galaxy A53
• Galaxy A35
• Galaxy A25
• Galaxy A16
• Galaxy A15
• Galaxy A05s
• Galaxy M55
• Galaxy M55s
• Galaxy M54
• Galaxy M44
• Galaxy M35
• Galaxy M34
• Galaxy M14
• Galaxy F55
• Galaxy F16
• Galaxy Tab S9 FE
• Galaxy Tab S9 FE Plus
• Galaxy Tab A9
• Galaxy Tab A9+
• Galaxy Tab Active 5
• Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (2024)

June

Samsung focused on resuming from the device where it left off in the previous month.

• Galaxy A34
• Galaxy A33
• Galaxy A24
• Galaxy A14 5G
• Galaxy A06
• Galaxy A16 4G
• Galaxy A15 5G
• Galaxy F34
• Galaxy F15
• Galaxy M53
• Galaxy M33
• Galaxy M15
• Galaxy XCover 7

July

Just when you think that Samsung has completed the One UI 7 roadmap, two more devices appear left out in the corner. According to users, F-series and M-series phones haven’t received, including the following models.

• Galaxy F05
• Galaxy M05

Both of these are budget segment devices with two OS upgrade support. The earliest we can speculate for the rollout is this month, and we’ll update this article when that happens.

Conclusion

Except for a few exceptions, Samsung has completed the One UI 7 rollout for all eligible models. Soon, Samsung will release One UI 8 for the Galaxy S25 series and other models, starting a chain for another OS rollout. If you want to know more about One UI 8 and stay updated with the latest news, check our dedicated section here.

In late June 2025, Samsung started releasing the One UI 8 Watch Beta update for the Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra. However, the stable version officially introduced during the Galaxy Unpacked event, along with the new Galaxy Watch 8 series. Now, Samsung has reportedly started testing the One UI 8 Watch update for the Galaxy Watch 4 series.

Samsung is getting ready to bring this major update to older devices. The first test build of the One UI 8 Watch for the Galaxy Watch 4 series has appeared on the testing platform, with a version number ending in JYG2. This shows that Samsung is planning a major software update for these older smartwatches.

Back in 2021, Samsung launched the Galaxy Watch 4 and the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic with Wear OS based One UI 3 Watch software. Now, these watches are expected to get One UI 8 Watch soon as their last major software update.

After launching the stable version with the latest Galaxy Watch 8 models, Samsung is now working on bringing One UI 8 Watch to more Galaxy watches. More devices are expected to get the update soon.

One UI 8 Watch comes with many new features to improve the user experience. Some highlights include the Now Bar for tasks, double-pinch gestures for quick actions, better notifications, bedtime and mindfulness tracking, personalized watch faces, custom tiles, app suggestions, and improved charging animations.

These new features are designed to make the watch easier to use, more helpful, and more personalized. Samsung is working to bring these improvements to more Galaxy Watch users soon.

Samsung will soon open early access to One UI 8 Watch for Galaxy Watch 6 and Watch 6 Classic users. Last month, the Beta Program went live for the Watch 7 and Watch Ultra models, but Samsung is now preparing for an expansion.

While users eagerly await the One UI 8 Watch update, Aptivi discovered signs of an early access launch for the Galaxy Watch 6 and Watch 6 Classic. Samsung’s test firmware servers have listed Beta builds for the two smartwatches.

Samsung last month confirmed that the Watch 5 and later models are eligible for the One UI 8 Watch Beta. At the Unpacked event, the company also announced that the Stable update will be provided to Watch 4 and Watch 4 Classic, too.

Similar to the Watch 7 and Ultra strategy, the Beta access may be limited to South Korea and the US. The first Beta for the latest models was released on June 30, and users are now anticipating the next Beta firmware with improvements.

The new builds spotted on fota server are as follows (via Aptivi):

• SM-R930: R930XXU1ZYG2 [KOO, XAA]
• SM-R940: R940XXU1ZYG2 [KOO, XAA]
• SM-R950: R950XXU1ZYG2 [KOO, XAA]
• SM-R960: R960XXU1ZYG2 [KOO, XAA]

With Samsung now free from product unveiling, users can expect swift progress in the software department. The One UI 8 Beta is also available on the S25 series, and device expansion is in question due to Samsung’s silence.

All Korean users of the Galaxy Watch 6 and Classic will be able to join the Beta Program. Meanwhile, the US availability may be limited to just T-Mobile subscribers, more specifically, LTE models might be exclusively invited.

One UI 8 Watch update brings refreshed tiles and smoother animations. The stable upgrade would also extend the battery life of your wearable. Samsung is also preparing to offer new Watch 8 faces to older smartwatches; read more:

Samsung bringing Galaxy Watch 8 faces to older smartwatches [Gallery]

Samsung is working on a new on-device voicemail feature for Galaxy phones, and it looks a lot like Apple’s Live Voicemail from iOS 17. This feature is currently being tested in the One UI 8 beta, but it hasn’t been officially released yet.

With this new feature, Galaxy users may soon be able to store voicemails directly on their phones, instead of using their mobile carrier’s voicemail service. This means you won’t need to call your carrier to hear messages, as everything will be saved on the device.

Live Voicemail on iOS gives users a live text of what the caller is saying as they leave a message. You can even decide to pick up the call while they’re still speaking. This makes it easier to avoid spam and decide which calls are important. Apple manages all of this on the iPhone itself, without using the network.

Source – Sammyfans

Samsung’s version is similar, but for now, it does not support live transcription. However, it offers a different feature that allows users to set the duration before the call goes to voicemail.

According to early code found in One UI 8, Samsung’s Voicemail feature might first launch in a few countries, including India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bangladesh. These are regions where traditional voicemail isn’t used much or can be expensive.

The Live Voicemail feature is currently under development for Samsung devices and is not active in the current One UI 8 version. Samsung hasn’t confirmed when it will go live, but it might arrive with the launch of future phones like the Galaxy S26. Stay tuned for more information.