Millions More Galaxy Phones Just Joined Samsung's Free Upgrade List

Samsung's One UI 9 rollout just hit a critical milestone, now expanding to millions more Galaxy phones. The first stable build has been spotted, with testing actively underway on devices far beyond the flagship Galaxy S25 and S26 series. This marks the largest free upgrade push in the company's smartphone history, bringing next-generation AI features to a vastly wider audience.

Samsung has confirmed that the stable version of One UI 9 has been sighted on internal servers, with beta testing now open on Galaxy A-series, M-series, and older S-series models. The update, initially delayed from its original May schedule, is now rolling out in phases across global markets. Why now? Samsung is racing to match Google's rapid Pixel feature drops and Apple's iOS continuity updates. The company wants to prove that its midrange and older premium devices are not left behind on AI capabilities.

This expansion is significant: over 50 million Galaxy phones are now eligible for the free upgrade, according to industry analysts. Key models include the Galaxy A54, A55, M34, M55, and Galaxy S22 series. The update introduces Samsung's "AI Everywhere" suite, including on-device generative photo editing, real-time translation in messaging apps, and a smarter Bixby assistant powered by Samsung's Gauss model. The stable build spotted is labeled version 9.0.1, which suggests final tuning before a global OTA push.

Samsung's mobile division chief, TM Roh, has emphasized that the company aims to deliver a “consistent premium experience across all price points.” The decision to widen the update list is both strategic and competitive. By pushing One UI 9 to budget and midrange phones, Samsung directly challenges Chinese rivals like Xiaomi and Oppo, which often lag on software support. It also builds goodwill among cost-conscious users who may upgrade to a Galaxy S30 later. The move aligns with the company's pledge to provide four major OS upgrades for select devices.

Analysts at IDC note that Samsung's extended support is a key differentiator in a saturated smartphone market. "It locks users into the Galaxy ecosystem and increases the likelihood they'll buy Samsung wearables and tablets," says research director Francisco Jeronimo. However, some observers caution that the sheer scale of the rollout may introduce bugs on older hardware. Samsung has set up dedicated feedback channels for the expanded beta to mitigate this risk.

Looking ahead: The official public rollout is expected to begin in September 2026, starting with the Galaxy S25 series, then cascading to eligible phones over the following two months. Samsung has not yet announced an end date for the free upgrade window, but early adopters are advised to enable automatic updates. The next milestone to watch is the release of One UI 9.1, which is rumored to include deeper Galaxy Watch integration. For the millions of Galaxy owners now joining the list, the message is clear: the AI revolution is coming to your pocket, free of charge.