With One UI 8, Samsung’s software intelligence is coming back ontrack. Apparently, after a frustrating yet delayed One UI 7 rollout, the company is shining bright at a significant height with the latest Android 16-based software. Since the newest version just landed, leaks are already showing the secret existence of One UI 8.5, though.
The next big upgrade, One UI 8.5, has already entered into the internal testing phase and is supposed to debut with the next generation, the Galaxy S26 series, next year. But guess what! Samsung has some fresh UI upgrades that will certainly remind users of Apple’s iOS style.
According to the information leaked (via SammyGuru) from a One UI port developer, a modified version of the One UI 8.5 build was spotted running on a Galaxy S21+, where the differences in the UI of the Settings page can be seen clearly. It was noticed that the build now adds a search bar aligned at the bottom alongside a floating back button to the Settings app, which marks a leveled-up significance over iOS 26’s design.
The settings page now has more compact menus, while the subtitles have been removed. Also, there is now an overflow gradient on both the top and bottom edges. Every container and the search bar has a drop shadow effect. Other than that, the expanded search bar received a minor change, as it now shows different categories in a three-column grid form.
It appears like Samsung is looking towards bringing a fundamental design, looks, and functionality to its UI, spreading the change first to all its first-party apps, in particular.
Nevertheless, One UI 8.5 still remains behind the closed curtains, but apparently it’s expected that Samsung is brewing some interesting changes, including enhanced performance and elevated functionality with the upcoming version that is supposed to be landing with the Galaxy S26 series on board.
