A UI 9 test build seen with ‘Tap to Share’, new Bixby widgets

Samsung’s One UI 8.5 beta program is in full swing, but the company is already preparing One UI 9 as well. It will likely launch alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Fold 8 Wide, and Flip 8 sometime in July. As per Samsung’s previous plans, the version bump belies the incremental nature of the update. However, thanks to a leaked test build, we now have a better idea of ​​what’s coming with Samsung’s next update.

Tap to Share will allow users to transfer images, videos and other files by tapping their phone in front of another device. This would be similar to Apple’s AirDrop-NameDrop implementation, but now on an Android-wide scale.

Samsung has also added 2×1, 2×2, and 4×1 home screen widgets for Bixby. These provide a microphone icon for voice interaction, a keyboard icon for typing, and even an input box in the largest widget.

Additionally, there’s a new Warranty & Care menu in Device Settings, which provides warranty and repair details for all your devices, along with diagnostic tools and remote assistance options. It even integrates Bixby, so you can ask for help using voice commands.

One UI 9 also brings new accessibility options, such as Select to Speak, which lets you tap any item on the screen to have it read aloud. Text Spotlight makes text easier to read by increasing its size. The volume and brightness controls in the Quick Panel were a bit large in the first One UI 9 build, and they become even larger in this build.

There are still several months to go before Samsung releases One UI 9, and we’re bound to see more features in leaks on the way to the stable release. We will keep you updated as we get more information.