Samsung's next major update: Leaked build shows new widgets and 'Tap to Share' feature

Samsung’s One UI 8.5 beta program is in full swing, but the company is already preparing One UI 9 as well. This 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. Nonetheless, thanks to leaked test builds, we now have a better idea of what’s coming with Samsung’s next update.

Sammobile got their hands on a new One UI 9 test build, and in it, they’ve spotted Android’s upcoming Tap to Share feature.

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

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

Further, there’s a new Warranty and Care menu in device settings, providing warranty and repair details for all your devices, along with diagnostic tools and remote assistance options. It even integrates Bixby, letting you 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 Quick Panel were slightly larger in the first One UI 9 builds, and they got even larger in this build.

There are still many months to go before Samsung releases One UI 9, and we’re bound to see more features emerge in leaks on the way to a stable release. We’ll keep you updated when we learn more.