Galaxy cell phone camera receives redesigned and cleaner video menu with One UI 8.5 beta

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One UI

One UI - Foto: TY Lim / Shutterstock.com

Samsung has started rolling out the beta version of One UI 8.5 to its latest devices, and one of the most notable changes is to the camera app interface. The company has significantly refined the video resolution selection menu, making it more compact, intuitive and visually integrated into the capture experience. The update, currently in the testing phase on the Galaxy S25 line, focuses on improving usability and aesthetics, without changing existing recording options, but transforming the way the user interacts with them.

The main purpose of the change is to optimize screen space, allowing users to maintain a wider view of the scene they are framing while adjusting settings. The new approach replaces the previous panel, considered by many to be bulky, with a more elegant design that prioritizes agility. Essa evolution reflects Samsung’s continued pursuit of more polished software, where every detail of interaction contributes to a more fluid and professional user experience, especially for content creators and video enthusiasts.

Reports from users participating in the beta program indicate that the change has been well received, highlighting how quickly it is now possible to switch between different resolutions and frame rates. Samsung uses this testing period to collect feedback and make fine adjustments, ensuring that the stable version, expected to reach more devices, is free of problems and meets the public’s expectations. The official launch is expected to take place alongside the brand’s next generation of smartphones, the Galaxy S26 line.

One UI – Foto: Tamer TO Soliman / Shutterstock.com

Changes to the selection layout

The most striking difference between the interface of One UI 8.0 and the new version 8.5 lies in the presentation of the video settings panel. Anteriormente, when tapping the resolution selector, a large floating card occupied a considerable portion of the display, with explanatory texts that, although useful, contributed to visual pollution and obstructed the camera’s preview. Esse element has been completely redesigned in One UI 8.5, giving way to a smaller and more discreet card, which uses a background with a subtle translucent blur effect, integrating more harmoniously into the image captured by the lens.

In addition to the size reduction, the selection buttons have been redesigned with more rounded edges and optimized spacing, making them easier to identify and touch. The currently selected option is given a more obvious but smooth visual highlight, eliminating any ambiguity when quickly adjusting settings. Essas changes, although they may seem small, result in a noticeably cleaner and more professional recording experience, allowing the user’s focus to remain on composing the scene rather than navigating complex menus.

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Visual and functional additions

To improve clarity and organization, the new interface introduces an explicit “Video Size” label at the top of the panel, a detail missing from the previous version that helps immediately contextualize the options presented. Essa simple but effective addition improves the information hierarchy, guiding the user more directly. Outra important functional change was the repositioning of advanced controls, such as HDR activation and LOG recording mode, which are now grouped in the upper right corner of the panel, ensuring quick access for experienced users without overloading the main view.

The developers at Samsung kept all resolution and frame rate settings intact, such as 4K at 60fps and 8K at 30fps, focusing exclusively on visual reorganization to facilitate real-time adjustments. The new layout perfectly balances the density of information and useful space on the screen.

This minimalist but functional approach has been praised by beta program participants, who highlight the feeling of more mature and refined software. The attention to detail demonstrates the company’s commitment to optimizing every user touchpoint with the operating system.

Comparison between versions

Placing the two versions side by side, the improvements become evident. The One UI 8.0 interface, with its simpler buttons and lengthy explanatory texts, created a feeling of clutter and unnecessary complexity. Já o One UI 8.5 adopts minimalism as a principle, prioritizing icons and clear visual highlights to communicate information more efficiently. Not only does the smaller bezel reveal a larger area of ​​the camera preview, but the soft-blur background also improves integration with the environment, making the transition between capture and setup less abrupt.

The main advantages of the new layout can be summarized in four key points. Primeiramente, scene visibility is maximized. Secondly, visual integration is enhanced by the translucent background. Terceiro, the active selection is indicated more clearly and intuitively. Finally, the presence of a label at the top of the panel better organizes the options available to the user. Essas differences, documented in screenshots released by testers, show a qualitative leap in the experience of using the Galaxy camera.

One UI 8.5 beta context

Samsung launched the beta program for One UI 8.5 in late 2025, starting with its flagship smartphone lineup, the Galaxy S25 series. The test is taking place in several global markets, with the aim of refining the interface, ensuring system stability and correcting any flaws before large-scale launch. The company has a long tradition of using these testing phases to collect valuable community feedback, which allows the final product to be more robust and aligned with consumers’ real needs. Updates released during the beta period usually bring progressive visual corrections and polishes.

The stable version of One UI 8.5 is expected to be officially released alongside the Galaxy S26 series in mid-March 2026. an overall improvement in performance and user experience.

Other camera improvements

The camera app on Galaxy devices has been a constant focus of innovation for Samsung. Além of interface refinements, the company invests heavily in advanced software features to remain competitive in the premium segment. Complementary Módulos, such as the Camera Assistant, which is part of the Good Lock ecosystem, allow for a much deeper level of customization, giving experienced users control over aspects such as shutter speed, texture smoothing, and even clean video output via HDMI. Essas tools transform the smartphone into an even more versatile and powerful content production tool, meeting the demands of videographers and photographers who use cell phones as their main equipment.

User experience in practice

Reports from those who are already using the beta of One UI 8.5 are unanimous in highlighting the greater agility when switching between video resolutions. The smaller panel eliminates the need to move the phone to reframe the scene after making an adjustment, a crucial benefit in dynamic recording. The more sophisticated visual finish also contributes to a perception of value, conveying the feeling of a more mature and carefully designed product. Profissionais who rely on mobile video to work benefit directly from the clearer organization of options and improved visual indicators, which facilitate quick choices even in unfavorable lighting conditions.

The positive response from the testing community is a strong indication that Samsung is on the right track. The company actively monitors forums and feedback channels to identify and fix bugs, ensuring final adjustments are implemented before mass distribution. Essa collaboration between the developer and its most engaged users is fundamental to the continuous refinement of the Galaxy ecosystem, resulting in more stable and enjoyable software for everyone.

Expectations for stable release

With the conclusion of the beta period, the final version of One UI 8.5 should expand all of these improvements to a larger number of Galaxy models. The update will be released gradually, following the company’s schedule, which prioritizes stability and compatibility to avoid problems on older devices. The focus on visual details, such as improving the camera menu, demonstrates Samsung’s attention to everyday user experience, a factor that has become an important differentiator in the competitive smartphone market. Users await confirmation of the exact dates for global deployment, which should take place throughout the first half of 2026, consolidating the brand’s position as a leader in software and hardware innovation.

Technical details implemented

The new design is not just an aesthetic change; it involves precise technical implementations. The blur effect on the panel background, for example, uses translucent layers and optimized shaders to ensure a modern look without negatively impacting performance or battery consumption. The buttons, in turn, adopt subtle animations when pressed, providing tactile and visual feedback that confirms the user’s action. The information hierarchy has been carefully planned to position the most important data, such as resolution and FPS, in the center of the screen, facilitating quick reading. Developers have also adjusted margins and padding so that the interface adapts seamlessly to different screen sizes and aspect ratios, from the compact models to the foldable Z line Fold, reflecting the Samsung design guidelines for creating interfaces that are both intuitive and visually consistent across the ecosystem.