Samsung Galaxy phones might catch up with Google Pixel in one key way

It appears that Samsung is gearing up to align its smartphone OS update schedule with Google’s Pixel Drop frequency through its upcoming One UI smartphone updates.

The anticipated One UI 8.5 update is reportedly based on Google’s second quarterly release, Android 16 QPR2, setting a precedent for the South Korean tech giant’s future updates.

As noted by Android Authority, Samsung seems to be contemplating a significant change to align with Google’s quarterly Android ‘Pixel Drop’ schedule.

Historically, most manufacturers—including Samsung—have only updated the core Android version once annually, unlike Google which does it four times a year.

This potential shift could be monumental for Samsung customers. Many non-Pixel Android users tend to miss out on new features like Identity Check until the subsequent major update, as they are typically not rolled out immediately in the OS lifecycle.

This would enable Samsung devices to access crucial new features months ahead of competitors like Xiaomi and Oppo, unless they opt to follow a similar strategy.

While it remains feasible to introduce those features individually, Samsung adopting Google’s regular update timeline would certainly be a positive development.

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Automatic Call Screening

In related updates, One UI 8.5 is reported to introduce the automatic call screening feature seen in the Pixel line.

Android Authority identified a reference to this feature in a leaked build of One UI 8.5, which autonomously answers suspicious calls and offers a text transcript of the conversation.

Samsung is reportedly looking to enhance user control over the feature, allowing them to automatically screen calls from all unidentified numbers or specifically flagged spam and scam numbers while also permitting exceptions. This operates similarly to Google’s Pixel functionality, but it may offer four levels of protection compared to Google’s three.

Forget One UI 8 – One UI 8.5 is the Main Attraction

While One UI 8.5 might seem like a minor upgrade at first glance, recent developments imply a significant shift in Samsung’s strategy.

Back in July, we reported that the company intended to roll out major features primarily under the One UI 8.5 label, proceeding in a similar manner moving forward.

With Google accelerating its Android 16 launch, the subsequent major Samsung UI version (One UI 9) will likely elevate the core system to Android 17 while implementing relatively small visual updates.

As older models like the Samsung Galaxy S22 finally receive One UI 8, attention can now shift to Samsung’s far more captivating plans for One UI 8.5.