Samsung expands One UI 9 beta to Galaxy Watch6 and S25 series
The latest rollout brings Wear OS 7 to older wearables and advanced AI tools to the S25 lineup.
Samsung has expanded its One UI 9 beta program, bringing the latest software updates to both its wearable and smartphone ecosystems. The rollout introduces the Wear OS 7-based One UI 9 Watch beta to the Galaxy Watch6 series and delivers a second beta iteration to the Galaxy S25 series.
In South Korea, the One UI 9 Watch beta is now available for the Galaxy Watch6 (40mm and 44mm) and the Galaxy Watch6 Classic (43mm and 47mm). Simultaneously, the Galaxy S25 series—including the S25, S25+, and S25 Ultra—has begun receiving One UI 9 Beta 2. While the rollout is prominent in India, the update has also reached users in the United States, the United Kingdom, and South Korea. The S25 update is approximately 660MB in size.
AI capabilities trickle down
The S25 Beta 2 update is significant for its introduction of four advanced AI features. These tools include Now Nudge, My FanCam, Call Brief, and Custom Cards within the Now Brief interface. This move allows users of the S25 flagship hardware to access the most current Galaxy AI suite.
Ecosystem context
One UI 9 represents Samsung's latest software skin, built upon Android 17 for mobile devices and Wear OS 7 for wearables. Samsung typically follows a tiered rollout strategy, debuting new software on its newest flagship models before expanding the program to older hardware. The S25 series, for instance, received its initial beta approximately one week before the release of Beta 2.
Industry implications
This rollout strategy demonstrates Samsung's commitment to extending the functional lifecycle of its hardware. By porting high-end AI features down to the S25 series, the company maintains the value proposition of its previous-generation devices. Furthermore, the expansion of Wear OS 7 to the Watch6 series ensures feature parity across the Galaxy Watch ecosystem, preventing older wearables from becoming obsolete as new software standards emerge.
What to watch
As the beta program continues, users will be monitoring the stability of the Wear OS 7 integration on older watch hardware. While the S25 series has now seen its second beta, the industry is waiting to see if further AI capabilities will be backported in future updates. Samsung has not yet provided a definitive timeline for the stable, public release of One UI 9 for these specific device tiers.