The wait for the One UI 5.0 beta is finally coming to an end. While we expected the beta to be launched in the third week of July, it's now here after a delay of about two weeks. Fans wouldn't mind that too much as they can finally get a taste of the new firmware.
The One UI 5.0 beta is accompanied by the Android 13 update. The new firmware brings lots of features, cosmetic improvements, and other changes. The One UI 5.0 beta with firmware version S90xBXXU2ZHV4 is initially rolling out for the Galaxy S22 series in Germany.
Samsung finally launches the One UI 5.0 beta program
Samsung is yet to detail everything that's new with One UI 5.0. It's likely that the company will have a lot to say about it during its Unpacked event next week. A formal announcement of the beta program's launch should arrive this week. There was a big leak last month that revealed details about what One UI 5.0 brings to the table. Some changes have been made to the notification center with bigger app icons and increased background opacity.
The app permission pop-up menu has also been changed to have the same design as stock Android 13. One UI 5.0 adds Optical Character Recognition across the UI. This enables the native Gallery app to detext text from images for easy sharing. Samsung has also improved the speed and smoothness of animations with One UI 5.0. This will make the transitions appear more seamless.
There may be other additions, particularly new features, that might be revealed as the beta program progresses. We exclusively reported that Samsung aims to release One UI 5.0 to the public by October this year. Given Google's delays with Android 13, it remains to be seen whether that will be the case.
The One UI 5.0 beta program will eventually be expanded to more devices. Expect the initial build to roll out to these devices in more markets soon. If you're wondering whether your device will get the update once it's released to the public, here's a list of Samsung phones that support One UI 5.0.
Thanks, Mehdi!