Samsung One UI 8 Hands-On: New Features and Improvements You Need to Know

Samsung’s long-anticipated One UI 8 has finally arrived, and while the update is making waves, it seems like the company might be playing it safe this year. After a lengthy wait for the One UI 7 update, fans were hoping for major changes with the leap to One UI 8, but the latest version has proven to be more of a refinement than a revolution. We had the chance to go hands-on with an early build of One UI 8 running on the Galaxy Z Flip 6, and here’s what we found out.

Samsung One UI 8: A Subtle Update with Small Changes

The transition from One UI 7 to One UI 8 may not be as dramatic as many expected. Samsung has opted to skip a minor point update this year, going straight to One UI 8. Based on our early experience, it feels like One UI 8 is merely a reworked version of One UI 7.1, albeit with a few new features and tweaks.

The key takeaway is that One UI 8 doesn’t introduce groundbreaking features. Instead, Samsung seems to have decided to roll out features that were technically already present in One UI 7 but were not made available until now. Now Brief, for instance, is one such feature that had the underlying code in One UI 7 but only becomes fully functional with One UI 8.

Now Brief: A Long-Awaited Feature for Galaxy Z Flip 6

One of the most notable updates in One UI 8 is the addition of Now Brief, which has made its debut on the Galaxy Z Flip 6. While the feature was hidden in the depths of One UI 7, it’s only now that it’s been brought to life. Now Brief enables users to access quick, glanceable information without unlocking the device—ideal for those who prefer quick interactions without fully engaging with their phone.

If you own a Galaxy Z Flip 6, you’ll immediately notice the difference when using this feature. It’s a small, but useful addition for multitaskers who want more efficiency with their daily interactions.

New Features in the Camera App: Log Video Recording

Another key improvement is the log video recording feature, which was first introduced with the Galaxy S25 series. In One UI 8, this feature is now available for Galaxy S24 owners, making it possible to record video in a log format. This feature is especially useful for content creators and those who want to capture footage that allows for better post-processing flexibility.

Quick Share Gets an Upgrade

If you’ve ever struggled with Quick Share, Samsung’s file-sharing feature, you’ll appreciate the updates that come with One UI 8. The Quick Share menu has been redesigned, now split into two sections: Send and Receive. By switching to the Receive tab, you can make your device visible to other devices temporarily, instead of leaving it constantly exposed. This new approach makes sharing files quicker and more efficient, eliminating the previous system that forced you to keep the device visible for a fixed period.

Subtle UI Tweaks: Gallery and Quick Settings

In terms of user interface (UI) changes, One UI 8 introduces a few small updates that improve the overall look and feel of the system. For example, in the Gallery app, options that appear when tapping the menu button are now encircled, giving them a more polished and visually appealing appearance. However, the functionality of these changes remains the same.

Another minor tweak can be found in the quick settings panel, where some of the buttons now have a shaded effect. This is likely a design tweak, but during our testing, we found it to be inconsistent, with some devices not showing the change at all.

Lock Screen Widgets and Other Android 16 Features

One of the expected features of One UI 8 is the integration of Android 16’s lock screen widgets, but Samsung has been offering this functionality in One UI 7 already. While Android 16 introduces lock screen widgets for the first time, it’s clear that Samsung is ahead of the curve in this area. This highlights the ongoing feature parity between Samsung’s One UI and stock Android, where Samsung often brings features before they officially hit the Android ecosystem.

What’s Coming Next for One UI 8?

As for what’s next, One UI 8 is still in its early phase, with Samsung likely to introduce additional changes and features as it progresses toward the official release. However, considering the heavy lifting One UI 7 did last year, it’s unlikely that One UI 8 will bring any major changes to the table.

Looking ahead, it’s expected that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 will launch with One UI 8 preloaded. As for existing devices, there’s a chance that One UI 8 could arrive within the next three months, but whether it will be available for beta testing remains uncertain.

One UI 8 Is More of a Polishing Update

While One UI 8 brings some useful updates, it’s not the major overhaul that many users were hoping for. Instead, it feels like Samsung is focusing on refining and polishing existing features from One UI 7. If you're hoping for a big jump forward, you might need to wait for future updates. For now, One UI 8 is a solid update with a few new features like Now Brief, improved Quick Share, and better camera functionality, but overall, it’s a more incremental improvement than a revolutionary one.

Stay tuned for more updates as Samsung continues to evolve One UI 8 and brings new features to its growing lineup of devices. Whether you're using the Galaxy Z Flip 6 or waiting for the next Foldable, this update will continue to improve the Samsung experience—just not in the major way some fans were expecting.