One UI 8.5 is the latest software update from Samsung, and after being in the beta build for a really long time, its stable build is finally available for all the eligible devices. While all the latest Galaxy phones are compatible with the newest One UI version, Samsung phones released in 2022 may not receive the update.
Galaxy S22 and many other 2022-released Galaxy phones might not get the One UI 8.5 update
If you have been using Samsung smartphones for a long time, then you might be aware that the brand has historically rolled out mid-cycle point software updates to devices that have already received their last major OS update. For instance, if your phone was promised to receive the Android 14 update, then along with getting the One UI 6.0, it also gets One UI 6.1, as both the software versions are built on the same Android version. It was basically considered an end-of-cycle gift from the company.
However, things are reportedly changing with One UI 8.5, and there’s a good reason why. You see, One UI 8.5 is built on Android 16 QPR2, and while it may sound very similar to Android 16, it does contain a lot of code changes and features plenty of updated APIs and platform-level modifications.
So, a device that has been promised to receive updates only until Android 16 might remain stuck with One UI 8. Making these phones compatible with the latest software version will introduce a lot of optimization challenges. Basically, Samsung would have to eventually make these devices compatible with Android 16 QPR2 first, and this apparently isn’t what the company is looking forward to doing.
List of devices that might not get the One UI 8.5 update
Samsung Galaxy S22. | Image by PhoneArena
The South Korean giant was actually working on bringing the latest One UI update to devices like the Galaxy S22. Signs related to it were reportedly spotted on the company’s server. However, there has been no new update on this since April, hinting that the development might have been stopped permanently.
That said, below is the list of Samsung phones that were expected to receive the update but might not actually get it:
Galaxy S22
Galaxy S22 Plus
Galaxy S22 Ultra
Galaxy S21 FE
Galaxy A73
Galaxy A53
Galaxy A33
Galaxy Z Fold 4
Galaxy Z Flip 4
Galaxy Tab S8
Galaxy Tab S8 Plus
Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra
The brand is apparently going with a simple rule – a mobile that isn’t compatible with Android 17 will not receive the One UI 8.5 update.
Samsung hasn’t broken its promise
Phones like the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy A73 were promised to receive four years of major Android OS updates, and they have technically received them. Android 16 was actually the last major OS update for these devices.
As mentioned above, the mid-cycle updates like One UI 6.1 were actually a gift that the brand used to give, and it has all the rights to stop it if it wants. The QPR updates were never treated as separate Android versions, and likely it will remain the same in the future as well. It’s just that making the latest software compatible with the new QPR updates brings a lot of optimization challenges.
So, in the future, it’s very possible that the Galaxy S23 would be compatible with the One UI 9, which would be based on Android 17. However, it might not receive the One UI 9.5 update, as it would likely be based on Android 17 QPR2.
That said, users who have the affected devices are definitely not very impressed with this decision. Most online complaints highlight the irony that the entry-level Galaxy A07 is receiving the latest software update while more expensive phones, such as the S22 series and the Flip 4, are not.
Features affected users will miss on their Galaxy phones
The latest One UI 8.5 update comes with some really cool upgrades over its predecessor. This includes things like a customizable quick panel, an upgraded Bixby, better lock screen customizations, a built-in time zone converter, and much more. While all these features are great, there are two One UI 8.5 features that I personally enjoy a lot on my Galaxy S26 Plus: wireless sharing with Apple devices and the completely new audio eraser.
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