Samsung is known for long-term, reliable software support. For flagship phones, Samsung promises four major Android updates and five years of security updates. Out of the box, the Samsung Galaxy S23 series ran Android 13. Of course, One UI 5.1 is Samsung’s own Android skin on top. One UI differentiates itself from Stock Android in many ways.
The aesthetics, icons, DPI and scaling, quick toggles, and notifications are all different, and they have the Samsung flair. Many features include the Secure Folder, Knox protection, Goodlock Modules, multitasking with floating windows, and more. Since Samsung has to work a lot on these additional features, they often take longer than Google’s Stock Android updates.
Update October 30, 2023: Samsung has started rolling out the stable Android 14 and One UI 6 update for the Galaxy S23 series. The update is around 3GB in size. The update is rolling out gradually and may take some time to reach all regions. Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23+, and Galaxy S23 Ultra owners can check for the update by going to Settings on their phone. The stable update brings the newest Android and One UI features to Samsung’s latest flagship phone series.
Update August 11, 2023: Samsung has launched its One UI 6 public beta program for the Galaxy S23, S23+, and S23 Ultra. This long-awaited moment allows owners of Samsung’s latest flagships to test drive the upcoming Android 14-based software release before its official launch. The beta program is available in the US, Korea, and Germany. Galaxy S23 owners can enrol through the Samsung Members app. They’ll then be able to download the first One UI 6.0 beta via their device’s Software Update menu.
The original story (published on June 18) follows:
Sometime in July 2023, rumors point to a second Samsung Unpacked event, which will occur in an unusual location in Seoul, South Korea. At this event, we’ll see some new hardware, too. The Fold 5 and Flip 5 will be announced at this event, and there will probably be some new colors for the S23 Ultra.
The Fold 5 is an incremental upgrade with a new waterdrop hinge mechanism, chip, and a better under-display camera. The Flip 5 will get a larger, more functional outer screen and a new chip. While both these upgrades are minor, seeing what Samsung will do with One UI 6 is exciting.
The S23 series recently got the June security update, bringing many improvements to the camera performance. It also improves the UI smoothness and lens switching speeds. Since minor monthly patches bring such improvements, we can expect One UI 6 to feature many quality-of-life updates to enhance the user experience.
Expected One UI 6 Features
The first Android 14 preview was in February 2023, only for Pixel phones. The first previews didn’t have any notable features. However, at Google I/O on May 10, we got a good idea of what to expect from One UI 6. A lot of the Android 14 features already exist on One UI 6.
App pairing with the sidebar was on One UI for a long time. Android 14 brings app cloning, which we already saw on previous One UI versions. You could do something similar with the Secure Folder feature.
Extensive lock screen customization was something Apple added last year with iOS 16, and Samsung followed suit in 2023 with One UI 5.1. Finally, with Android 14, Stock Android gets this feature too. You can choose custom toggles, change the size and fonts, pick custom color palettes, and change how the digital clock looks.
Lock screen widgets are a given on One UI. Since One UI already has good lock screen customization, we can expect One UI 6 to improve it with more fonts and stylistic options. Unfortunately, several Android 14 AI features will remain exclusive to Pixel devices. Samsung might replicate some of that with Bixby, but that’s challenging.
With One UI 6, we could get predictive back gestures. It displays a preview of what you’re going back to, and this avoids accidentally exiting an app or page. Android 14 also brings drag and drop, where you can drag some text or images from one app to another, similar to how iOS does. One UI 6 could implement this feature too.
One UI 6 might have some improvements to first-party Samsung apps or redesigns. Some first-party widgets could be improved, too. We’ll probably get better icon customization, too.
Galaxy S23 Series One UI 6 (Android 14) Rollout Plan (Expected)
- Update: Samsung released the Android 14-based One UI 6 beta for the Galaxy S23 series on August 11, 2023.
In February and March 2023, we got the early developer previews for Android 14. The first official Beta began rolling out in April, and currently, we have the third Android 14 Beta in June. It’s the most stable version so far. For proper platform stability, we have to wait till July or August.
Many phones will get the update in August, and many others in September. Samsung, however, didn’t opt into this Beta program. That’s because they have to make their additions to Android 14. They use it as a base, but the aesthetics and features differ.
One UI 6 Beta version might begin rolling out sooner than expected. The Betas might start rolling out for the latest Galaxy S23 series as early as the first week of August. Other compatible phones will get the betas over the following weeks.
One UI 6 will probably come to the S23 series first. Since Android 14 is basically a platform stability update, Samsung can launch its Beta program and wrap up within a couple of months. We do not endorse the use of beta software on your primary device since it’s prone to bugs and stability risks, but this is welcome news to developers.
Samsung’s earlier track record with updates is fantastic, so we might get stable One UI 6 (Android 14) on the S23 series as early as October 2023. If there are unprecedented delays, you’ll wait till November 2023 at most. Samsung won’t keep users waiting that long. The S23 and S22 series will be among the first to receive the Android 14 update.
Conclusion
One UI 6 looks like an aggregation of micro refinements that improves the overall experience. Android 14 might enhance the smoothness and transitions, making your phone feel better. Samsung’s One UI 5.1 skin was mainly stable, with no significant bugs to report, so we expect that trend to continue with Android 14.
While the S23 series will get the update relatively fast, Samsung’s update frequency varies and depends on many factors. Some regions get updates faster than others. If your phone is carrier-locked, the update might be a bit late since it must undergo additional testing.
