Update 2 (Aug 11, 12:45 am ET): The update appears to be available for users in eligible countries.
Update (Aug 10, 8 am ET): Samsung appears to have (once again) pulled the announcement, this time from its U.S. newsroom.
What you need to know
- Samsung has officially announced the One UI 6 beta based on Android 14.
- The beta includes a revamped Quick Panel, new default font, new emoji, and more.
- The One UI 6 beta is limited to the Galaxy S23 in the U.S., South Korea, and Germany.
Samsung's One UI 6 (Android 14) software is finally welcoming users into its beta program after a premature announcement earlier this week.
According to a shared press release from Samsung, the One UI 6 beta program is starting first on the Galaxy S23 series in the U.S., South Korea, and Germany. The company says it has taken strides in refining and modernizing the user interface its phone owners interact with daily.
Firstly, Samsung has revamped the pull-down Quick Panel so users can easily and conveniently "access their most used features." From the shared image, you can see that the full panel is more visually sectioned off, with larger buttons from Wi-Fi and Bluetooth sitting at the top, while the brightness slider now includes toggles for Dark Mode and Eye comfort, and it will also be available in the Quick Panel by default. There are also larger buttons for Smart view and Device control at the bottom.
Additionally, Samsung is making it easier to open the full Quick Panel by quickly swiping across the display from the top right corner. This can be enabled by turning on the instant access feature in the Quick Panel settings.
New customization options have made their way into the beta program, such as setting different lock screens for different situations. Samsung explains that users will have the ability to decide which lock screen background is featured on their device while it is in different modes, which should help set the mood when you're going to sleep.
A new camera widget will give users a way to choose a specific camera mode and storage folder for pictures in advance, which should make it easier to save a specific set of images separate from others in your gallery. Samsung is also highlighting a number of smaller changes with the One UI 6 beta, such as a new default font and new emojis in the Samsung keyboard.
Lastly, Samsung adds that this beta program includes various other improvements and updates to ensure user data remains safe and secure.
Given that Samsung calls this a "sneak peek" at new enhancements, it seems there is more to One UI 6 than what Samsung is highlighting. It's likely more changes will come to light once users start installing the software and digging into it.
Galaxy S23 owners interested in signing up for the One UI 6 (Android 14) beta can check for the banner in the Samsung Members app for an opportunity to register. Although keep in mind that it is beta software, so there are bound to be bugs.
It's not clear when Samsung plans to launch the stable Android 14 update, but it will likely be before the end of the year if previous years are anything to go by.
Update
Similar to the premature announcement earlier that was removed from the German press site, Samsung seems to have done the same again as it removed the One UI 6 beta announcement from the U.S. press site.
It's not clear why this is the case, but it suggests that the beta may have been delayed. In the meantime, Android Central has reached out to Samsung and will update the article when we hear back.
Update 2
Despite the update announcement being pulled earlier on Thursday, One UI 6 beta is now appearing on their Galaxy S23 units via the Samsung Members app. A moderator also posted a banner announcing the beta on the U.S. community forum.
According to the poster, users with unlocked or T-Mobile units in the United States will be eligible for the beta.
Samsung has also updated the One UI beta website to reflect the new Android 14 software. The website lists several countries eligible for One UI 6 beta, including China, Germany, India, Poland, the Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
However, Samsung previously revealed in a shared press release that the update would initially be available for the U.S., South Korea, and Germany, so it could be that the other countries will receive the beta at a later time.
Meanwhile, users in Germany have also begun reporting on Twitter X that the update is available for their devices. And as noted by SamMobile, users in South Korea are also receiving the beta.
BreakingSamsung One UI 6 Beta just launched in Germany❗️❗️❗️@UniverseIce @Vetrox360 @BennettBuhner @LeonMagMenschen @breezydev_ @SamSWUpdate @SamMobiles @tarunvats33 pic.twitter.com/x1yoV1NB00August 11, 2023
If you have a Galaxy S23, you can check the Samsung Members app for the banner to enroll in the beta program. So far, Samsung has yet to repost the One UI 6 beta announcement that was pulled earlier.
The Galaxy S23 Ultra is Samsung's most powerful phone to date, thanks to its powerful chipset, quad-camera setup, and built-in S Pen. The Phone will likely be among the first to receive the upcoming One UI 6 beta powered by Android 14.
