Samsung Galaxy 26 Owners Can Now Test Drive One UI 9 Beta with Android 17

Beginning this week, Galaxy 26 owners can test drive One UI 9, built on Android 17. New features include a Quick Panel redesign and new creative options for Samsung Notes. Try to contain your excitement. Accessibility features may be the highlight. One UI 9 beta includes something that folks who rely on external keyboards will appreciate: the ability to adjust the mouse key speed. There's also a new feature called Text Spotlight that lets you zoom and clarify selected text inside a floating window. And TalkBack, Samsung's screen reader with text-to-speech (TTS) tech, is now integrated with Google's feature of the same name. There's also a neat new security feature: One UI 9 could help you to avoid installing malicious apps. The software can detect high-risk apps, warn you about them, and block their installation. The rest of One UI 9's new features are, shall we say, a bit ho-hum. Among them is a new Quick Panel layout. The panel's brightness, sound and media player controls are now independently adjustable, and it has more sizing options. Elsewhere, Samsung Notes gets new decorative digital tapes and more pen line styles. And the Contacts app now integrates with Creative Studio, so you can make personalized profile cards without switching apps. However, part of the reason for the underwhelming feature list is that Samsung is saving new "advanced AI features" for the final version. The company says One UI 9's final release will arrive on "upcoming Galaxy flagship devices later this year." That almost certainly refers to Samsung's flagship foldables, rumored to launch in July. Galaxy S26 owners can sign up for One UI 9 beta access in the Samsung Members app. The program is only available in select markets, including the US, UK, Germany, India, Poland, and Korea. The company says the software will begin rolling out this week.