The death of annual upgrades: How Samsung One UI 8.5 turns the Galaxy S24 into a neural network monster

The smartphone industry has long lived by the rules of the “iron” race: if you want new features, buy a new case with an updated chip. However, in 2026, Samsung decided to finally dismantle this model. With the release of fresh patches for the test build of One UI 8.5, the company began porting exclusive artificial intelligence tools to devices of previous generations. 2024 flagships like the Galaxy S24 and the foldable Z Fold7 suddenly have features that were considered killer features of the upcoming S26 series just yesterday.

This event is not just an ordinary firmware update, but a manifesto of a new era. The company seems to have asked a rhetorical question: “Why spend a fortune on buying a fresh flagship, if your usual device can gain the intelligence of the most powerful device in the line?” And the answer to it has already begun to arrive on users’ devices “over the air.”

Intelligence on board: What exactly is being updated

The key change in One UI 8.5 is the deep integration of the Galaxy AI suite. We are talking about functionality that requires serious computing power, but is now optimized to work on older hardware. The package includes:

• Creative Studio and Photo Assist: tools for generative content editing, allowing you not only to remove unnecessary objects, but also to completely rebuild the composition of the frame using neural networks.
• Call Screening: advanced call filtering that takes care of communication with unwanted callers.
• Audio stripping: Algorithms that remove noise from voice messages and recordings in real time.

If earlier these technologies were positioned as a reason to buy the S26, now Samsung has “stopped being greedy.” The update for beta testers of the Galaxy S24 and Z Fold7 installs quickly and wirelessly, essentially turning last year’s devices into current AI stations.

For those not participating in the beta program, the news is also encouraging: all of the above features are confirmed for a stable release. Users just need to go to Settings, check the Software Update section and run a manual search to ensure that the package is available soon.

Regional nuances of AI

In Ukraine, the implementation process of One UI 8.5 has its own specifics. Although the Creative Studio and Photo Assist functions fully support the Ukrainian and Russian languages, the processing of requests may differ slightly from their English-language counterparts in the quality of interpretation. Users on the forums have already noted: “AI does an excellent job of removing objects and finishing the background, but when creating complex compositions via text input, clarification is sometimes required.”.

Risks and stability

Those wishing to receive the update right now should take into account the risks inherent in beta builds. Main problems:

• Service operation: There is a possibility of a temporary failure in banking applications that are not adapted to the new firmware code.
• Contactless payment: An attempt to force an update by changing the region often leads to resetting payment service settings.
• Neural network stability: in test versions, Photo Assist may not process the edges of complex objects correctly.

Important legal aspect: installing the official version of One UI 8.5 (even the beta version) does not void the retailers’ warranty.

Analytics: The end of the era of iron innovation

Samsung’s 2026 strategy looks like a marketing paradox. The traditional sales funnel requires making old devices worse compared to new ones, but here we see the opposite. Samsung is effectively defeating the purpose of buying the most expensive flagship for the sake of long-term loyalty from its current customer base.

“A smartphone is just a shell for a neural network that can be updated endlessly” – this idea becomes dominant. When the processing power of the Z Fold7 allows Photo Assist to pull as smoothly as the S26 does, the hardware itself takes a backseat. Now the decisive factor is not the number of cameras, but the software ecosystem.

Analysts suggest that behind this generosity lies a cunning plan: to accustom the user to a high level of comfort through free AI tools in order to monetize them through subscriptions in the future. The smartphone market is transforming into a services market, where your brand choice today determines access to innovation tomorrow.

How will this affect the average user

For the average Samsung owner, this update means that his device will no longer turn into a “pumpkin” a year after purchase. The lifespan of a smartphone is significantly extended: you get the top features of 2026 on a device purchased in 2024. This saves your budget and makes the investment in purchasing a flagship more worthwhile in the long run.

The secondary market has already responded to this trend – demand for used Galaxy S24 and Z Fold7 models has begun to grow. Users realize that for less money they can get the same functional experience as owners of new products by simply updating the operating system.

FAQ