Samsung has barely started rolling out One UI 9 based on Android 17 but the company is already looking ahead to its next major software update. One UI 9.5 is reportedly now in internal testing for both the Galaxy S26 series.
According to tipster Tarun Vats on X, Samsung has started developing a One UI 9.5 firmware build with the CHZ1 identifier for the Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26+ and Galaxy S26 Ultra.
This follows an earlier discovery by tipster Fahad Ali Javed (@fahadalijaved on X), who spotted another One UI 9.5 build, AZH3. Now, this build is supposedly linked to model number SM-S958U, which is believed to be the Galaxy S27 Ultra.
The testing on current and upcoming flagship Samsung phones isn't unusual for the brand. However, what's interesting is how early the company appears to have started working on One UI 9.5.
For context, Samsung reportedly started working on One UI 8.5 for the Galaxy S25 series around mid-September last year. The company then opened the One UI 8.5 beta program in early December 2025.
This time around, development appears to have started roughly a month earlier. If Samsung maintains this pace, the One UI 9.5 beta could also arrive earlier than its predecessor, potentially giving Galaxy S26 users access to the update sooner.
That said, Samsung has yet to confirm a One UI 9.5 beta or reveal when it plans to begin public testing.
Samsung's ".5" updates are typically designed around its upcoming flagship generation. So, One UI 9.5 is expected to debut on the Galaxy S27 series when the phones launch in early 2027, before making its way to the Galaxy S26 lineup through a software update.
For now, however, One UI 9 is still the priority. Samsung is expected to release at least one more beta for the Galaxy S26 series and could soon expand the Android 17-based beta program to other eligible One UI 9 eligible devices.
If you want to experience the One UI 9 stable version, the newly launched Galaxy Z Fold 8, Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and Galaxy Z Flip 8 are currently the easiest way to do so.
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