According to SamMobile, Samsung has officially opened the One UI 8.5 beta program, but for now, it’s exclusive to the Galaxy S25 series. The key new feature highlighted is a “Now Brief” YouTube card, which integrates YouTube content directly into the phone’s interface. The report states that Samsung may soon expand this beta testing to the Galaxy Z lineup of foldables and older Galaxy S series devices. Users can check their own device’s eligibility for the beta through a provided link. The beta follows Samsung’s typical phased rollout strategy for its major software updates.
What This Means For Samsung Users
So, a new One UI beta. It’s basically a tradition at this point, right? But here’s the thing: starting with the brand-new S25 series makes perfect sense. Samsung wants to test its latest software on its latest hardware first, where any performance hiccups or battery drain are most critical to iron out. For S25 owners who jump in, the “Now Brief” YouTube card is the headliner. It sounds like another step in Samsung’s long-term goal of making its interface a one-stop hub, pulling in content from apps like YouTube so you don’t have to open them directly. Will it be useful, or just another widget you disable? That’s the beta’s job to figure out.
The Waiting Game For Everyone Else
Now, if you’re on a Galaxy Z Fold or Flip, or an older S-series phone, you’re probably in a holding pattern. The “may expand soon” language is classic tech reporting—it’s likely, but not guaranteed, and the timeline is fuzzy. This phased approach is a double-edged sword. It protects the vast majority of users from potentially buggy software, but it leaves eager fans feeling a bit left out. The good news? If your device is on the list for the Android 15 update (which One UI 8.5 is based on), you’ll almost certainly see this feature set eventually. It’s just a question of when the stable build arrives, probably months from now after the beta does its job.
