At its Galaxy Unpacked event in London on July 22, Samsung officially unveiled One UI 9.0, its new smartphone software. Built on the latest Android 17, it ships first on the newly announced Galaxy Z Fold 8, Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, and Galaxy Z Flip 8. Rather than flashy new features, the update focuses on the AI assistant experience and on optimizations for foldable devices.
Debuting on Three New Foldables
One UI 9.0 is the latest version of the software layer that ties Samsung's phones together, and it sits on top of the newest Android 17 platform. The first devices to ship with the stable release are the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Z Fold 8 Ultra, and Z Flip 8 shown at Unpacked. All three come with One UI 9.0 out of the box, so buyers get the latest platform from day one.
Samsung says it tuned the software for each of the three models, which differ in folding shape and screen ratio. On the Galaxy Z Fold 8, with its wide cover screen, the control panel for settings and the like now appears as a floating window with a drop shadow. Development has been underway since May, with four beta builds pushed to the Galaxy S26 series so far. There aren't many sweeping visible changes, but a redesigned media player is among the new additions.
AI at the Center, with Deeper Gemini Integration
AI is where Samsung put the most effort in this update. Now Nudge, which reads what is on your screen and suggests shortcuts at the right moment, gains wider system access in One UI 9.0. For example, if you are discussing plans with a friend, it can proactively prompt you to check your calendar.
Integration with Google's Gemini also goes deeper. Gemini can now reach apps at the system level, letting it carry out several actions in a row from a single request, such as drafting an email and checking your calendar at once. Samsung's own browser, Samsung Internet, adds Ask AI, which lets you ask questions directly about the web page you are viewing.
Samsung is also signaling that it will not tie itself to a single AI provider. Its in-house Gauss and Bixby handle native device features while Gemini powers Google-linked functions, and the company is deepening its work with Perplexity and weighing additional external partners. Samsung aims to bring Galaxy AI to 800 million devices within 2026, and One UI 9.0 is a stepping stone toward that goal.
Usability Gains from Android 17
The Android 17 foundation brings a series of smaller everyday improvements. Floating bubble windows, previously limited to apps such as messaging, now work with any app, so you can peek at another app without interrupting your task. For contact sharing, a new mechanism lets you pick exactly which contacts an app receives, granting access to only the contacts you need rather than your entire address book, a privacy improvement that moves closer to how iOS behaves. In addition, apps are generally no longer allowed to hard-lock screen orientation, making layouts easier to use on foldables and tablets.
There are design tweaks too. The brightness and volume sliders are thicker and easier to tap, and the media player on the lock screen and Quick Panel can be resized, with a waveform animation that moves in time with the album art of the track that is playing.
Rollout Schedule and Supported Devices
One UI 9.0 lands first on the three new foldables, and the stable rollout to existing Galaxy devices is expected to proceed in stages. Reports say more than 60 models will be eligible, from the latest Galaxy S26 series back to the Galaxy S23 series and the budget Galaxy A line. As with past Unpacked events, however, Samsung has not published a detailed rollout roadmap for older devices, so exact timing will depend on how the beta program unfolds. The update for the Galaxy S25, for its part, is set to bring Now Nudge along with Horizon Lock, which keeps shots level, and My FanCam for capturing live performances.
Summary
One UI 9.0 is Samsung's newest software, built on Android 17 and debuting first on the new Galaxy Z Fold 8 foldables. Headline features are modest, but the update strengthens AI with Now Nudge and tighter Gemini integration, and adds screen optimizations for foldable shapes as well as privacy and usability improvements such as more granular contact sharing. Starting with the new foldables and expanding to more than 60 Galaxy devices over time, it is an update that embodies Samsung's push to make AI more approachable.
