Samsung Unveils One UI 8 with Advanced AI Features for New Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7

Samsung One UI 8 hits stable with launch of new Galaxy Z Fold 7, Flip 7, and Flip 7 FE

Older models, including the Galaxy S25 series, are expected to receive the update in the coming weeks. At today's Galaxy Unpacked event, Samsung lifted the covers off its latest foldable phones. The all-new Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7 bring several noteworthy hardware upgrades over last year's models, and they're joined by an all-new budget-friendly option -- the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE. All three devices also bring some new AI capabilities to the table, and, as speculated, they're the first to ship with Samsung's latest operating system: One UI 8. Although Samsung had built a strong track record of timely platform upgrades in recent years, the One UI 7 rollout was nothing short of a debacle. Following multiple delays, the company finally pushed stable Android 15 to its devices just a few months ago. However, with One UI 8 based on Android 16, Samsung appears to be getting back on course. Samsung has benefited from Google's accelerated Android 16 release timeline and confirmed that its latest foldables will ship with One UI 8. The company is also testing One UI 8 builds for older models, which should receive stable updates in the coming weeks. As seen in beta builds over the last few weeks, One UI 8 introduces several new features and changes, like a better Reminders app, a more powerful DeX mode, new preset routines and routine actions, revamped Weather and Notes apps, Call Captions, and much more. For foldable phones, Samsung has included a better 90:10 multitasking split screen view and Galaxy AI feature optimizations for large-screen devices. Samsung has yet to share a One UI 8 release timeline for other Galaxy devices. However, it shouldn't be long before the stable update rolls out to the Galaxy S25 series. Stay tuned to our coverage to be among the first to know when stable One UI 8 is available for your Galaxy smartphone.

One UI 8 is coming with Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 -- here are all the best new features

Galaxy Unpacked is now here, bringing the next generation of Samsung foldables -- the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and the Galaxy Z Flip 7. These phones won't be coming alone, of course, as Samsung has confirmed that they'll both be running One UI 8 (and Android 16) right out of the box when they ship on July 25. And that's rather incredible when you remember that One UI 7/Android 15 was released less than 6 months ago. Obviously a new version of One UI means that there are a bunch more features on offer. Not just from Android 16 itself, but also thanks to all the extras that Samsung has added. According to the company, the new software is built to be "context-aware and naturally responsive" which has been optimized for foldables' flexible format. Naturally that means AI is front and center, and here are the best features coming your way. Audio Eraser is a great tool for removing unwanted sound, and the new version available in One UI 8 is a lot more intelligent. A new toggle in the gallery allows the tool to detect and remove unwanted noise, all with a single tap. Bottom line: the feature should be a lot faster and more convenient for you to use. The first thing of note with Gemini is that Google's AI is now available on the Galaxy Z Flip 7's Flex Window -- meaning users can access Gemini tools and features without having to open up their phone. Gemini Live itself has been enhanced with new multimodal capabilities on both Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7. That means it can better understand what users want, see and do, while also letting them get contextual answers without having to swap back and forth between different apps. Live's screensharing feature is also available, letting users ask Gemini what is either on screen or within view of the camera -- and get instant answers. Circle to Search is integrated with AI mode, which should help the more complicated search topics, and give users the option to ask follow-up questions with a "Dive Deeper" button. Both foldables will also offer unique Circle to Search capabilities for gamers. All you need to do is circle around the in-game object you need to know about, be it a puzzle or a boss, and the AI will offer up tips and other information without making you leave the game. One UI 8 has been designed to be a "true multimodal agent," part of which involves pairing new intelligent tools with "large-screen multitasking" and AI that is optimized for a larger screen. This means that Samsung will maximize the amount of space used while multitasking, while also offering a new "AI Results View" that drops features from AI results into a split view or floating window. A new Drag & Drop system will also let users move AI-generated content around between app windows. As the name suggests, you simply press and hold, and move it to the relevant screen. That way you can save time getting content from one app to the other. The Z Flip 7's Flex Window is getting some improvements, beyond just gaining access to Gemini AI tools. Both the Now Bar and Now Brief will be available from the cover display, giving you access to all of Samsung's AI planning tools without having to open up your phone. Whether you're looking to check up on your ride share ETA, see the latest sports scores, check your personalized daily updates, or anything else those two features can do, it's now more easily available. The Flex Window now supports 20 apps and widgets, and can adapt your wallpapers to suit the screen -- and stop important details hiding behind the camera. Ok, so it's not really a One UI 8-exclusive feature, but it's something we've been asking Samsung to give us for the past several years. The Galaxy Z Flip 7 can now support DeX, which means you can plug it into a display and unlock Samsung's exclusive desktop mode -- and use your flip phone with a PC-like interface.