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Samsung One UI 5: Everything we know about the software update

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Samsung has been pretty tight-lipped about the upcoming One UI 5 update set to launch alongside Android 13. The company hasn’t officially said much about it yet; however, rumors about the update have begun to make the rounds, so it seems likely the software is deep in development.

There’s still time before One UI 5 officially drops, but Samsung fans are itching to learn all about it. Here’s everything we know so far about One UI 5, including its potential features, release date, and more.

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Release date

A man using the Samsung Galaxy s22 ultra stylus.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

One of the only things we know for certain about One UI 5 is that it’s built around Android 13. Samsung always launches its latest UI updates in tandem with major operating system updates, and One UI 5 doesn’t appear to be an exception. Based on the rollout of previous Android OS updates, it seems like Android 13 will be out sometime later this year, potentially as early as August or September. This means that One UI 5 would be seeing a similarly timed release date in the second half of the year.

Beta version

Like a lot of widely used software, Samsung device owners will likely be given the opportunity to try out One UI 5 in its beta form. There’s yet to be an officially licensed beta version of the software, but beta testing for One UI 5 may begin in July, according to sources close to SamMobile.

SamMobile recently doubled down on those claims, saying One UI 5 beta for Galaxy S22 will go live by the third week of July. If we are to look back, the public release of One UI 4 was released for the Galaxy S21 in November 2021. And it looks like Samsung will better itself by releasing One UI 5 for its flagship smartphones in October 2022, as per the report.

Features

Home screens in One UI 4 and Android 12.
Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Because we still haven’t seen any sort of build of One UI 5, there’s little to report in terms of what features are to be expected with it. Another SamMobile report claims that the speed of the UI is a major focus for the team working on the update. This would manifest in a few ways, from quicker animations and a much smoother overall UI to navigation improvements. It’s important to note that SamMobile doesn’t cite any sources for these claims, indicating it may be conjecture.

If quicker navigation is one of the major focuses for One UI 5, it could make Samsung devices feel a lot more responsive, thanks to the steadily increasing screen refresh rates that have been featured in the company’s latest smartphones. It also seems like a safe bet to assume that One UI 5 will make the most out of the optimizations and changes coming with Android 13. Previous Samsung One UI updates have paired nicely with Google’s major OS changes, so hopefully, One UI 5 follows suit.

Supported devices

The official list of Samsung devices that will support One UI 5 hasn’t been announced yet, but there are a few ways to get a good grasp on which could be supported based on other things the company has said. It’s a safe bet to assume recently released phones like the Galaxy S22 series will all support One UI 5 and that previous flagship releases will as well like the Galaxy S21 series, the Galaxy Z Flip and Galaxy Z Fold series, the Galaxy Note 20 series, and some recent Galaxy A series phones, too.

That’s all we know about Samsung’s One UI 5 for now, but we’ll update here when more news arrives.

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Peter Hunt Szpytek
Peter Hunt Szpytek
Mobile Writer
A podcast host and journalist, Peter covers mobile news with Digital Trends and gaming news, reviews, and guides for sites…
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