Samsung has begun rolling out the stable version of One UI 8.5, but several popular Galaxy devices may not receive this update. According to SamMobile, the update is primarily aimed at models launched in 2023 and later, leaving many 2022 smartphones and tablets out of the new support wave.
Devices that may miss out on One UI 8.5 include the Galaxy S22, S22+, S22 Ultra, S21 FE, Galaxy A73, A53, A33, the foldable Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4, and the Galaxy Tab S8, Tab S8+, and Tab S8 Ultra. Other 2022 models could also be excluded.
This situation comes as a surprise to some users, given that One UI 8.5, like One UI 8.0, is based on Android 16. Many assumed that if a device already received One UI 8.0, the intermediate update to 8.5 would follow. However, Samsung appears to have adopted a more restrictive rollout strategy.
The case of the Galaxy S22 is particularly puzzling. Test builds of One UI 8.5 for the series were spotted on servers earlier, but development was reportedly halted. No new test versions have appeared since the beginning of April. A similar pattern was seen with several other 2022 devices.
On paper, Samsung has already met its major Android update commitments for the Galaxy S22 and many older models. The Galaxy S22 series launched with Android 12 and was promised four generations of Android updates, meaning Android 16 was its last major system upgrade. The company is not obligated to release subsequent skin versions, even if they are based on the same Android version.
The likely reason for the restrictions is the technical complexity of One UI 8.5. Unlike typical point updates, it is built on Android 16 QPR2, whereas One UI 8.0 uses the base Android 16 branch. QPR2 introduces changes to system code, APIs, and developer tools, making the porting process more demanding. For owners of the Galaxy S22, Z Fold 4, and Tab S8, this offers little comfort: One UI 8.5 brings notable improvements that may now remain exclusive to newer devices.