Your Samsung Galaxy phone can get a neat free software upgrade right now

One way Android phones continue to improve over the life of the device is with software updates. And that's exactly what users of a Samsung phone have just received, with a new update arriving.

That's the long-rumoured One UI 8.5 update, which is finally available to users in the beta stage. According to the brand, that update is set to "fundamentally rethink how users interact with their devices."

There are a range of new features which come as part of the update. Perhaps the most important for most people is Storage Share, which allows users to access files from Galaxy tablets and PCs directly from your phones file manager.

There's also a new Theft Protection and Failed Authentication Lock feature, which is designed to improve the security on its devices. And if that doesn't float your boat, the Smart Sharing feature may be more up your street.

That recognises people in images and makes suggestions of who to share them with. That could be really handy for those folders full of images you forgot to share after the last group outing.

The last two features are slightly more niche offerings, but should still be a useful addition for users. Up first is Audio Broadcast, which lets you communicate with multiple Bluetooth devices simultaneously. The brand suggests it could be used for tour guides and events, for exmaple.

Last, but certainly not least, there's Photo Assist 2.0. That allows users to continuously edit photos with a full edit history, removing friction from the creative process. That might be more specialist, but it's one I'm excited to try.

The new feature is available to users of the Samsung Galaxy S25 range, but only in select countries. Those are the UK, USA, Germany, Korea, India and Poland.