Samsung has recently concluded the Galaxy Unpacked event 2026, which is one of its biggest tech events of the year. During the event the tech giant launched multiple devices across various categories, including smartphones, smartwatches, glasses and more. While the major attention of the event was the hardware products, the South Korean tech giant also launched the stable build for the One UI 9. It is a skin based on the latest Android 17 and brings various improvements. Here’s everything you need to know about the latest One UI 9 and the Galaxy AI features launched with it.
One UI 9 brings a couple of new AI tools, and the very first one is Now Nudge. It watches what’s on your screen and pops up helpful shortcuts at the right moment, like suggesting you check your calendar if you’re texting about plans.
Furthermore, it also introduces a new AI assistant activity dashboard that gives users a clear view of all AI actions performed on their behalf. It also lets users open the related AI agent directly to review what happened and manage its settings.
The new foldable models also come with a built-in Gemini Notebook. It will allow the users to gather notes, links, and videos on a topic and turn them into summaries, quizzes, or even a podcast. Samsung has also expanded Gemini Notebook with drag-and-drop support in Split View, making it easier to collect notes, images, and files in one place.
Not only that but it can also turn this content into reports, meeting recaps, visual summaries, infographics, and audio overviews to improve productivity. Samsung is also expanding Gemini’s ability to handle multi-step tasks like booking travel or making reservations across many more apps than before.
Aside from that, the users can see big improvements in the Quick Panel, as the users can now resize the brightness, sound, and media controls separately instead of relying on one shared layout. Moreover, the sliders are also thicker and easier to tap, making quick adjustments more comfortable.
The lock screen media player has also received a visual update. While you listen to music, you can now see waveform animations that move with the song, giving the lock screen a more lively appearance. Samsung has also added a network speed indicator in the status bar. This lets users quickly check their internet speed without opening a separate application.
The Samsung Notes app also gets several creative additions with the latest One UI 9 update. You can now decorate notes with digital tapes. Along with that, you can also choose from more pen line styles while writing or drawing to make the note-taking experience more personal and visually appealing.
If you’re someone who likes to add personalised profile cards, then the next update is for you. The Contacts app now directly accesses Creative Studio and allows the users to build personalised profile cards without moving between different apps.
Now Brief has also been improved with One UI 9. It now delivers more personalised recommendations based on your routine and interests. The feature can also highlight security and privacy insights to help users stay informed throughout the day.
The privacy and security features on One UI 9 also provide better user control for permissions to apps that use personal data, such as contacts and files. Samsung has also added Enhanced Privacy Alerts, which notify users when apps try to access sensitive permissions in the background, helping them identify potential privacy risks before they become a concern.
Also read: Samsung debuts first AI smart glasses powered by Gemini at Galaxy Unpacked 2026
The biggest attraction of One UI 9 is Google’s Gemini Intelligence-powered Galaxy AI. While earlier the users were only able to perform basic tasks with the Galaxy AI, like rewriting messages, translating conversations, or answering questions, the new Gemini-powered Galaxy AI will go a step further as it will allow the users to complete multiple actions through a single request.
For example, instead of asking the AI to perform one task at a time, you can now simply request it to draft an email, check the calendar, organise information, and perform other connected actions together. This reduces the need to switch between multiple apps.
Samsung has also expanded Gemini Intelligence to understand both screen and image context, allowing users to complete more complex tasks with fewer steps. It can now work across more than 40 supported apps and services for connected actions, making the AI experience more seamless.
Samsung Browser has received a new feature called ‘Ask AI’, using which you can ask the browser to summarise the content or answer questions based on the page. The feature can help users save time while browsing lengthy articles or documents.
Aside from the abovementioned, the Creative Studio is also getting AI support, as it can now help you create personalised profile cards and other visual elements more quickly with automatic suggestions.
Samsung says Galaxy AI now works more seamlessly across the Galaxy ecosystem. When paired with supported Galaxy smartwatches and upcoming intelligent eyewear, it can provide more personalised assistance and connected experiences throughout the day.
Also read: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Galaxy Z Flip 8 launched in India: Price, specs and more details
While the new Galaxy AI features in One UI 9 look impressive, they also come with some limitations. The most advanced AI tools need newer flagship processors, at least 12GB of RAM, and Gemini Nano v3.
Because of this, not every Galaxy phone getting One UI 9 will support all Galaxy AI features. Older flagship and mid range devices are expected to receive only a limited set of AI tools. While the software update will be available on many devices, the AI experience will depend on the phone’s hardware.
One UI 9 first comes with Samsung’s new Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Galaxy Z Flip 8, with full Galaxy AI features. It will roll out to more Galaxy devices in the coming months. Availability may vary by region, carrier, and device. Here are the devices expected to get the One UI 9 update: