Samsung's stable One UI 8.5 update has been rolling out since May 6, 2026, reaching dozens of Galaxy devices.
However, many older models are expected to miss this major software upgrade.
According to a report from Sammobile, devices launched before 2022 will likely not receive the update.
This includes flagship phones such as the Galaxy S22, Galaxy Z Fold 4, and Galaxy Z Flip 4.
Devices That May Miss One UI 8.5
- Galaxy S22, S22+, S22 Ultra
- Galaxy S21 FE
- Galaxy A73, A53, A33
- Galaxy Z Fold 4, Z Flip 4
- Galaxy Tab S8, Tab S8+, Tab S8 Ultra
- Some other devices from 2022
Many users expected One UI 8.5 to come to all devices running One UI 8.0, as both are based on Android 16.
But Samsung appears to have a different rollout strategy this year.
Interestingly, Samsung initially developed One UI 8.5 for the Galaxy S22, with test builds spotted on servers.
However, development halted in early April, and no new test builds have appeared since.
In a press release on Samsung's Germany Newsroom, the company stated that One UI 8.5 would be available on flagship devices as far back as the Galaxy S23 and on the last three generations of Galaxy A-series phones.
This confirms that most devices launched in 2022 or earlier will not get the update.
Technically, Samsung has fulfilled its promised OS upgrades for the Galaxy S22 and similar devices.
The S22 launched with Android 12 and received four generations of OS upgrades, ending with Android 16.
The company does not guarantee further updates, even if the OS version remains the same.
Samsung has not explained why it is skipping older devices, but optimization challenges are a strong possibility.
One UI 8.5 is based on Android 16 QPR2, a new branch with underlying code changes, updated APIs, and newer developer tools.
This differs from One UI 8.0, which uses the original Android 16 core.
These platform changes may have made it difficult to port the update to older hardware.
