Samsung has launched a beta programme for its One UI 8, and with it, enhancements to its Auracast.
The One UI 8 platform is due to arrive on the company’s new range of foldable devices coming this summer, before spreading out across the Galaxy ecosystem.
It uses Android 16, making Samsung one of the first firms to adopt it. Samsung says One UI 8 will be simplifying everyday routines, enhancing productivity and improving convenience. It also promises a true multimodal AI agent that will work across Galaxy devices, including phones, watches, computers, and tablets.
Samsung says the One UI 8 AI experience will enhance the Bixby software introduced in the S25 series, thanks to its multimodal capabilities, a user experience tailored to the device being used, and personalised suggestions.
This ‘intelligent multimodality’ is intended to allow customers to have a more natural and seamless communication with the AI, which takes into account the context of what people are doing at that moment, both within their daily routines and on their device. This, in turn, will have productivity and efficiency boosts for the user.
One obvious example will be the Now Bar and Now Brief functions, which provide summaries of diary plans, weather, and other details that can support people’s routines.
Samsung says the AI uses safeguarded data from its Samsung Knox Vault. This, it promises, is a dedicated, secure processor with its own secure memory that will isolate sensitive data from everything else to ensure that it cannot be accessed either physically or remotely.
And customers will get the chance to decide how their personal information is stored and used on the devices. This, Samsung says, will provide greater transparency and user choice, allowing customers to have a personalised AI experience without having their privacy compromised.
What about Auracast in the Samsung One UI 8 beta?
Auracast is a broadcast audio technology based on Bluetooth LE Audio and is at the heart of how Samsung intends audio to be shared going forward. While it is ahead of the curve right now, more and more Auracast-enabled devices such as headphones, earbuds, and hearing aids are coming to the market. This means the technology is starting to become mainstream.
The beauty of Auracast is it is so easy to share audio with more than one person. In theory, the audience size can be limitless, and this will benefit public settings such as airports and theatres, but for sharing among friends, the Auracaster will want to keep their Auracast to those who have the access code.
One UI 8 will allow people to connect to an Auracast by scanning a QR code. This avoids the problems of having to pair manually – it will be as easy as opening a camera app rather than fiddling with settings.
Auracast-enabled devices include Galaxy Buds3 and hearing aids, and they will be able to use the Auracast Assistant on their device to control their experience of the stream, including changing the volume for them or pausing the Auracast to pick up a call.
The Assistant has been improved as well to make this easier.
Samsung does warn that the quality of the Auracast audio stream may vary depending on the application, network connection, and other factors while the Auracast Transmitter/Assistant supported devices: Samsung Galaxy flagship smartphones, tablets released in 2023 or later with Samsung One UI version 6.1 or above. Auracast Receiver supported devices: Galaxy Buds3, Buds3 Pro, Buds2 Pro. A software update may be required, and availability may vary by market and model.
Other enhancements with Samsung One UI 8 beta
Quick Share will allow files, photos and similar to be sent and received quickly. To take advantage of this, the device must have both Bluetooth LE capabilities and a Wi-Fi connection.
A Reminder app can help place relevant information together in one place. Samsung is citing a family trip to New York: all the flight times, hotel information etc can be placed in the app … while a to-do list can be added as well, with voice reminders also available.
How to sign up to the Samsung One UI 8 beta programme
And customers don’t need to wait: a beta programme has been launched in Germany, Korea, the UK and the US for those with the Galaxy S25, S25+ and S25 Ultra. To participate, phone users should open the Samsung Members app and ensure they are signed up to the Beta and follow the instructions. Phones need at least 30% charge before they can start installing the software update.
