I've been following Samsung's software updates pretty closely, and it's interesting to see how they're refining One UI. It seems like the Galaxy S25 series is currently the testing ground for the upcoming One UI 8.5. While we anticipate its official launch with the Galaxy S26, Samsung is actively pushing out beta versions to iron out any kinks.

The latest update, the fourth One UI 8.5 beta, is now available for Galaxy S25 users in several regions, including South Korea, India, Germany, the UK, and the US. Weighing in at around 1.48GB, this build, identified by its ZZAL firmware, includes the February 5, 2026, security patch. Of course, the update addresses a number of bugs reported by users in previous beta versions, contributing to overall system stability and performance.

But what caught my attention most is the introduction of a new feature called Direct Voicemail. Essentially, this lets you send calls straight to voicemail, either automatically after a set time or manually. What's particularly neat is that you can access all your voicemails directly within the Samsung Phone app. Even cooler, while a voicemail is being recorded, you can see a text transcript in real-time. If it works anything like its inspiration, Apple's Live Voicemail in iOS 17, this feature should work independently of carriers, since the voicemail is recorded directly on the phone. I think this is a great addition, and could simplify things.

I know that many people don't even use voicemail anymore these days. However, with all the spam calls people receive, I think it's an advantage to be able to filter calls to voicemail, and then quickly assess if it's something important. Plus, having the transcription is pretty handy, since many times people don't have time to listen to their voicemail right away, but they can glance at the text on the screen and know if it's worth calling back or not.

It's worth keeping in mind that this is still a beta, so it is possible that some bugs and kinks still exist. However, this seems to be a promising update and I'm excited to see what else Samsung has in store for One UI 8.5. If you have a Galaxy S25 and are enrolled in the beta program, be sure to check for the update and give it a try.