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Samsung has begun internal testing of One UI 8.5 for its tablets: early test builds for the Galaxy Tab S8 and Tab S9 series have appeared on the company’s servers. While this doesn’t mean a public beta is imminent, the discovery confirms development is underway and suggests a public rollout could arrive next year.
What this discovery tells us
The first One UI 8.5 firmware builds for both the Tab S9 and the Tab S8 family were recently spotted online, which typically indicates the update is moving through Samsung’s internal development pipeline. These builds were not announced through the usual beta channels, so it’s unlikely these tablets will join the public beta program.
That doesn’t rule out a full release. Historically, Samsung finishes firmware testing ahead of the flagship launch cycle and then pushes broader updates afterward. If past patterns hold, a public roll out of One UI 8.5 will probably follow the Galaxy S26 unveiling—likely around February–March 2026.
One point to keep in mind: older hardware sometimes receives a trimmed feature set. Even if your Tab S8 or Tab S9 gets the update, some of the flagship-focused features seen in the S25 beta may be modified or omitted for tablets.
So, should Tab owners get excited now? Yes—but with patience. The server sightings are a good sign that Samsung intends to bring One UI 8.5 to these tablets, but you’ll most likely have to wait for the public rollout to try the new firmware yourself.
Source: sammobile
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