Samsung's One UI 8 Android 16 beta absolutely dunks on Google
Joe Maring / Android Authority
Samsung surprised us all this week by releasing the One UI 8 beta for the Galaxy S25 series, which is based on Android 16. Following the messy rollout of One UI 7 and Samsung's track record of launching betas after Google has finalized a stable Android update, the arrival of One UI 8 has been a pleasant surprise. There are some welcome changes, from improvements to alarm groups to better support for older Galaxy Buds.
Are you going to download the One UI 8 beta?
503 votes
Yes
47 %
No
31 %
When it's more stable
22 %
What's more surprising is that Samsung's version of Android 16 is more feature-complete than Google's, with two of the main additions everyone is looking forward to already working in One UI 8.
90:10 splitscreen
The OnePlus Open came with a new kind of split-screen multitasking called Open Canvas. Google is bringing this feature to Android 16, but it isn't available in the current beta for Pixel devices. It is here in One UI 8, though, as seen in the video above.
It's a great addition to split-screen. Being able to quickly switch between the two apps while having enough space to use each one is a game-changer, and I look forward to seeing how it performs on foldables and tablets. The question is, why does Samsung have it in One UI 8 already when Google hasn't enabled it in the official Android 16 beta?
Live Updates
Live Updates are similar to the Live Activity feature you'll find on iOS. It allows an app to display real-time information in a place that's easy to see, no matter what you're doing on your phone, such as showing a progress bar for your food order or directions from Google Maps.
Zac Kew-Denniss / Android Authority
YouTube Music Live Notifications
Despite Live Updates being showcased at Google I/O, the feature isn't yet available in the Android 16 beta. It is available on Samsung phones and doesn't require One UI 8. Samsung calls this feature Live Notifications, and it was introduced in One UI 7, which is based on Android 15. It does everything described above and even lets you control your media playback.
One UI 8 doesn't have everything
Ryan Haines / Android Authority
Samsung doesn't get everything, though. Android 15 introduced Notification Cooldown to Pixels, a feature that mutes notifications for up to two minutes at a time if you receive too many in quick succession.
Even in One UI 8 with Android 16, this isn't present on Samsung devices. We don't know why Samsung has opted not to integrate Notification Cooldown, but it's a shame. It's a useful feature that can stop the constant barrage of information from being overwhelming.
It seems odd that Samsung consistently receives early access to features, while Google's smartphone brand, the Pixel, is often overlooked and has to wait. You could say it ultimately doesn't matter so long as the Pixel gets everything eventually, but I disagree. Google, logically, should want people to buy a Pixel phone. It sends a strange message when Samsung frequently gets priority over Google's own product.
Have you tried out the One UI 8 or Android 16 betas yet? What do you think of them? Let us know in the comments below.
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