Samsung Launches One UI 9 Beta for Galaxy S26 as Android 17 Adds AI, NFC Sharing

12 articles · Updated · SammyGuru · May 18

Galaxy S26 users can now test One UI 9 Beta, an Android 17 update centered on polish rather than a major redesign, with smoother animations, cleaner visuals and more adaptive widgets.
New AI features drive much of the update: smarter notification summaries and rules, expanded Galaxy AI editing tools, Bixby widgets, and an AI-powered Driving Insights report built from phone sensor and trip data.
Tap to Share is among the biggest new tools, using NFC to transfer contacts, files or media by tapping Galaxy phones together; Samsung is also testing options to swap the home-screen search bar between Finder and Google.
Security changes include Memory Tagging Extension support on newer ARM v9 devices, a dashboard for blocked sideload attempts, locked-screen USB blocking, and a new hub listing apps installed outside official stores.
Samsung said the beta is live first on the S26 series, with the S25 line and newer foldables likely next; a stable release may arrive with the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Flip 8 in July.

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