What One UI 8.5 Brings from Galaxy S26 to Older Galaxy Phones
With the One UI 8.5 update, Samsung is pushing a major wave of Galaxy AI features down to older models instead of limiting them to the latest flagships. The company is taking four headline tools first seen on the Galaxy S26 series—Call Screening, Advanced Audio Eraser, Creative Studio, and Photo Assist—and enabling them on the Galaxy S22 and newer devices via a free firmware upgrade. The stable rollout begins in South Korea on 30 April, with global markets, including Malaysia, expected to follow in Samsung’s usual phased schedule. These Galaxy AI features are designed to run largely on-device, so you get faster responses and better privacy without shipping your data to the cloud for every task. For many Galaxy users, this means their current phone can handle smarter calls, cleaner audio in videos, and easier content creation without needing new hardware.
Eligible Galaxy Models in Malaysia and How the Rollout Works
Samsung has confirmed that the Galaxy S22 family will be the baseline for receiving One UI 8.5, with the update also planned for newer flagships and recent foldables. That means Galaxy S22, S23, S24, and S25 series owners in Malaysia should all see the One UI 8.5 update in due course, along with other recent premium phones and foldables that Samsung includes in its ongoing tests. The stable firmware is first landing in South Korea on 30 April before expanding to more regions from May in waves, following Samsung’s standard phased strategy. In parallel, the Galaxy S25 series is expected to move from the long-running Samsung beta program to a stable One UI 8.5 build very soon, after as many as ten beta releases in some regions. This signals a maturing software cadence where Galaxy S25 software stabilises early, and slightly older models follow closely behind.
The Four New Galaxy AI Features You Will Actually Use
One UI 8.5 focuses on four practical Galaxy AI features that matter in everyday use. Call Screening lets an AI assistant answer calls on your behalf, ask who is calling and why, then show a real-time transcript so you can decide whether to pick up, reply by message, or hang up. Many users find that scammers drop the call as soon as they hit the AI screen. Advanced Audio Eraser enhances audio and video editing by separating voices, wind, music, and ambient noise so you can adjust each layer and quickly clean up outdoor recordings directly in Gallery, the video editor, or call recordings. Creative Studio generates images and stickers from simple text prompts and can remix existing photos with new elements and effects. Photo Assist allows text-driven edits like “remove the background” or “add an object,” applying realistic changes on-device to preserve privacy and reduce reliance on third-party apps.
Inside the Samsung Beta Program: Progress, Fixes, and Risks
If you do not want to wait for the stable One UI 8.5 update, you can join the Samsung beta program through the Samsung Members app, where eligible devices show an enrolment banner. After signing up, you install One UI 8.5 by going to Settings > Software update > Download and install. Beta software is still under active development, so bugs are expected—backing up your data is strongly recommended before you start. Recent progress on the Galaxy S23 One UI 8.5 Beta 2 shows why these test builds matter: Samsung fixed an issue where the screen went black or lagged when receiving calls, corrected proximity sensor errors, and solved a camera bug that produced green lines in 4K HDR video recordings. Bluetooth and multi-touch performance were also improved. These changes directly affect day-to-day reliability, especially for calls and camera use, but beta users must accept potential instability until the final release.
What Malaysian Galaxy Owners Should Do Next
For Galaxy owners in Malaysia, the most practical step now is preparation. First, make a full backup using Samsung Cloud, Google Drive, or your preferred local method so you can recover easily if something goes wrong. Next, ensure you have enough free storage for the One UI 8.5 package and any additional Galaxy AI features—it is wise to clear unused apps and old media ahead of time. Then decide whether to wait for the stable rollout or try the beta: if your Galaxy S22 or newer is your only phone and you rely on it for work, waiting for the stable One UI 8.5 update is safer. If you are comfortable with occasional glitches and want early access to Galaxy AI features like Call Screening and Advanced Audio Eraser, enrol in the Samsung beta program via Samsung Members and keep an eye on Software update as the rollout expands to more regions.