I've been keeping a close eye on Samsung's One UI 8.5 beta, especially with the Galaxy S26 series launch just around the corner. It seems like Samsung is really pushing to get this update ready for prime time. There have already been three versions of the beta, and now, we're hearing about a fourth one that could drop any day now.

According to tipster Tarun Vats, this next beta, while not yet released, is expected imminently. If his previous suggestions are anything to go by, we might see it before the end of the week. A big part of this update appears to be bug fixes – which, let’s be honest, is always welcome in a beta. No one likes a buggy experience, and ironing out those kinks is crucial before the final release.

However, what's really caught my attention is the focus on Bixby. While the specifics are still under wraps, it sounds like Bixby is in line for a significant overhaul. There's speculation that Samsung might be integrating Perplexity AI, which would allow Bixby to handle questions and provide responses with a lot more finesse. I think that this upgrade could potentially make Bixby a genuinely useful assistant, something many users have been waiting for.

If you're already testing out the One UI 8.5 beta, or are thinking of jumping in, keep an eye out for an announcement about the fourth beta release. Samsung is also expected to update the Linux kernel with this upcoming beta build, resulting in under-the-hood performance improvements on the Galaxy S25 series. It sounds like it could bring some performance enhancements to the Galaxy S25 series, which is always a plus.