Samsung’s big One UI 7 update could hit Galaxy phones earlier than expected – here's what's new

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6

Samsung's new foldables will be in line for the One UI 7 update (Image credit: Samsung)

As the full launch of Android 15 gets closer, Samsung is set to start testing its own take on the update, with One UI 7 – and the latest rumor is that a beta version of the software could be out before the end of this month.

This comes from the usually reliable tipster Ice Universe (via Android Police), who puts the One UI 7 beta launch at "the end of July or early August", provided there aren't any "accidents" along the way to delay it.

That launch would be a little earlier than expected, but not by much: last year the One UI 6 beta was made available on August 11, 2023. As always with beta software, you run it at your own risk, and should expect to come across a variety of bugs and issues.

Samsung's latest handsets, including the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6, come with Android 14 and One UI 6.1.1 on board. We can expect a full One UI 7 roll out later in the year, once the software has been finalized.

A major update

One UI 7 Beta will start from the end of July or early August, if there are no accidents.July 23, 2024

From what we've heard about One UI 7 so far, it sounds as though we could be set for a major software update from Samsung. Neowin has rounded up some of the most recent leaks, some of which point to a lot more in the way of customization options.

There has also been talk that One UI 7 is heavily influenced by iOS 18 in the way it looks, with quick actions on the lock screen and a redesign of the notifications panel apparently inspired by what Apple has been doing with its software on the iPhone.

That's on top of all the new features coming to Android 15 as well. It seems likely that satellite messaging is going to be supported for the first time, though users might only get a couple of years of free access before they have to pay extra for it.

Android 15 is now in its public beta stage, and will probably be formally launched in full on Tuesday, August 13 – that's the day set for Google's next hardware reveal, with the Pixel 9 series of phones set to take top billing at the show.

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Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you'll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.