Millions More Galaxy Phones Just Joined Samsung's Free Upgrade List - Forbes

What the report says

Forbes reported that Samsung’s One UI 9 software rollout has widened significantly, with evidence of a first stable build for the Galaxy S26 Ultra appearing on Samsung servers and additional test builds linked to more Galaxy models. The report, published July 18 and updated July 19, 2026, cites firmware watchers and Samsung-focused outlets rather than an official Samsung release schedule.

According to Forbes, new testing has been identified for the Galaxy A57 and A37, while development is also underway for the Galaxy Z TriFold. Screenshots also reportedly show an internal One UI 9 build on a Galaxy S25 Plus. The article says the broader testing list now spans recent Galaxy S, A and M series phones, along with foldables such as the Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6, suggesting a broad upgrade push across Samsung’s current portfolio.

The reported stable S26 Ultra build is notable because it follows several beta versions, but Forbes cautioned that a server listing does not necessarily mean users will receive the update immediately. The article said Samsung was expected to use its July 22 Unpacked event in London to formally introduce One UI 9 alongside new foldable devices, with older Galaxy phones likely to follow later.

Forbes said recent beta changes have focused partly on bug fixes, including camera and widget issues, while also adding accessibility tools such as text reading support and TalkBack improvements. Security changes seen in testing include stronger lock behavior after using the power menu and a Secure Lock option that disables biometric unlocking. The expected Gemini Intelligence features were not yet present in the reported test builds.