An embarrassing wait: Here’s when the Galaxy S25 could finally get stable One UI 8.5

Source: Android Authority

TL;DR

• A leak suggests Samsung will release the stable One UI 8.5 update for the Galaxy S25 series on April 30, starting in South Korea.
• International users can likely expect the rollout to begin on May 4, 2026, based on previous release patterns.
• The update follows a lengthy period of eight beta versions and weeks of exclusivity for the newer Galaxy S26 series.

Expected stable release

Galaxy S25 owners may finally see One UI 8.5 arrive soon. After releasing eight One UI 8.5 betas (see beta 8), Samsung is expected to launch the stable version at the end of this month, according to a leak from Tarun Vats on X (tweet).

• South Korea: April 30, 2026 (home region)
• International rollout: likely starting May 4, 2026, following last year’s pattern

Background

One UI 8.5 became stable with the launch of the Galaxy S26 series (article). Since then, Samsung has released several beta builds for the older S25 series, bringing the total to eight. While the company is working to fix bugs, the S25 flagship remains on an outdated Android version.

• Android 16 has been available since June 2025 (features)
• Android 17 is nearing stable release (details)

Concerns

The prolonged beta period is disappointing, especially as competing flagships have already received Android 16 updates. The delay means the S25 series is still running an older Android base, which feels “embarrassing” given the pace of updates from other manufacturers.

Outlook

If Samsung allocates more resources to bug fixing, a stable One UI 8.5 update for the Galaxy S25 series could arrive soon, bringing the device up to date with the latest Android platform.