According to SamMobile, a firmware build containing the unannounced One UI 8.5 has already leaked for the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 7. This is notable because Samsung hasn’t even launched the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6 yet, which are expected later in 2024. The leak suggests Samsung’s software development cycle for its 2025 foldables is already in motion. A staffer at the outlet even managed to install the early build on a Fold 7 prototype to test it out. This gives us a very early, albeit incomplete, look at the software that will power Samsung’s flagship foldables over a year from now.
Why This Leak Matters
Here’s the thing: this isn’t just a random build. It’s a specific, official Samsung firmware that got out in the wild. That tells us development for these 2025 phones isn’t just a back-burner project—it’s active and advanced enough to have stable-ish builds floating around. It basically confirms the cadence. We’re getting Fold/Flip 6 this year, and Samsung is already deep in the lab for the 7-series. So what does that mean for the phones we’re about to get? Probably not much, feature-wise. But it does highlight how incredibly long these hardware and software development cycles are. They’re planning the 2025 user experience while finalizing the 2024 hardware.
What One UI 8.5 Could Mean
Now, the leak itself didn’t reveal any groundbreaking new features in One UI 8.5. That’s not surprising for such an early build. The real story is the version number. We’re currently on One UI 6.1, with 6.5 and 7.0 presumably coming for the Fold/Flip 6. Jumping to 8.5 for the 2025 models suggests Samsung is planning at least two more major Android-based platform updates between now and then. It points to a trajectory of more frequent, incremental software drops. Will 8.5 be a minor point update or a major overhaul? Too early to say. But it signals that Samsung’s software strategy for foldables is becoming more aggressive and, frankly, more complex to manage across multiple device generations simultaneously.
The Bigger Picture for Foldables
This early leak also puts pressure on the entire ecosystem. If Samsung is this far ahead, what does that say about the competition? Google, OnePlus, and others are playing catch-up in the foldable space, and this shows Samsung isn’t slowing down. They’re building on a multi-year roadmap. For consumers, it’s a mixed bag. It’s reassuring that software is being worked on so far in advance—theoretically leading to a more polished launch. But it also might make someone buying a Fold 6 this year feel like their device is part of an old cycle before it even arrives. The relentless pace of tech, right? Ultimately, it shows Samsung is treating its foldable software as a critical, long-term platform, not just an add-on for quirky hardware. And that’s probably the right move if they want to stay on top.
