Samsung is testing AI answering machines for Galaxy phones

Samsung rolls out the fourth beta of One UI 8.5 for the Galaxy S25 series. In addition to numerous bug fixes, the update surprisingly brings a useful mailbox function to smartphones. The update is also available for German users.

One UI 8.5 Beta 4 starts in Germany

Samsung is consistently pushing forward the development of its Galaxy user interface shortly before the expected market launch of its new S26 smartphones. After the first beta for One UI 8.5 started at the beginning of December 2025, the fourth version is now available. It can now be downloaded by Galaxy S25 owners. In addition to users in the USA, Great Britain and South Korea, German users also have access to the new firmware.

The update has a file size of around 1.5 gigabytes and already includes the Android security patch from February 2026. While many observers had assumed that the South Korean company would focus exclusively on system stability in the current phase, the update delivers not only bug fixes but also a functional innovation. Nevertheless, bug fixes are the first priority.

The fixes address specific issues that testers have reported over the past few weeks. The focus in particular was on Bluetooth stability, as lost connections to headsets caused frustration in everyday work. The following errors have now been fixed:

• A display error that caused the clock on the lock screen to slide down unintentionally.
• Issues accessing search history within the Phone app.
• The unreliable audio transfer to Bluetooth headsets during ongoing calls.
• Error inserting copied phone numbers into the dial pad.
• The “AI Select” function, which now correctly closes automatically as soon as the user has selected “Copy”.

Direct Voicemail: The smart mailbox

The technical highlight of the new version, however, is the introduction of “Direct Voicemail”. This new function modernizes the classic answering machine by moving the mailbox logic from the network operator to the end device. Loud Android Authority The feature offers a live transcription of the spoken text. Similar to Google’s “Call Screen” or “Live Voicemail”, which Apple introduced some time ago, Samsung is following suit functionally and integrating call control deeper into the system.

End users can therefore read in real time on the display what the caller is saying on the tape. If it turns out during the recording that the call is urgent, the call can be accepted immediately. Since the audio processing and transcription take place directly on the smartphone, the function can be used regardless of the respective mobile phone provider.

Starting soon

With this update, Samsung is one step closer to the stable release of One UI 8.5. The final version of the software is expected to debut alongside the Galaxy S26 series. According to rumors, the corresponding Unpacked event will take place on February 25th. Until then, the current beta on the Galaxy S25 serves to smooth out the final edges and ensure that features like direct voicemail work correctly under real-world conditions.