Exclusive: Samsung Is Testing a Galaxy AI Premium Subscription

Samsung is currently testing a new Galaxy AI Premium subscription priced at $4.99, according to reports from SammyGuru and PCMag. App code points to this upcoming tier, as Samsung begins testing the $4.99 subscription for its Galaxy AI features. Alongside this subscription discovery, leaks from One UI 9.5 reveal additional software additions. Sammy Fans and Mezha.net reported that One UI 9.5 may bring a dedicated desktop mode for Samsung Internet to DeX, as well as an updated UI and a new Mindful note feature in Samsung Health on One UI 9.5, according to SamMobile.

Meanwhile, Engadget reported that a One UI 9.5 beta build for the Galaxy S26 Ultra has appeared on Samsung's Korean and US update servers, carrying firmware version S948BXXU6ZZK3. Samsung has not yet announced the beta or an official launch date. For comparison, the company opened its previous point-five update, One UI 8.5, to testers on December 8, 2025. One UI 9.5 is expected to launch alongside the Galaxy S27 early in 2027. Enthusiast site SammyFans has pencilled in early December for the beta release, while SamMobile believes registrations could open as early as November.

Participation in the upcoming beta program will follow previous patterns. Engadget noted that signing up will require registering through the Samsung Members app and downloading the beta from device settings, provided the user lives in one of six eligible countries: Germany, India, Poland, South Korea, the UK, or the US. The initial build spotted is for the S26 Ultra only, though other S26 devices and servers will almost certainly receive the beta. Enthusiast site SammyGuru also expects the S25 series, Z Fold 8, and Z Flip 8 to receive the beta.

Users with carrier-locked devices may face restrictions. Engadget pointed out that the One UI 8.5 beta was available only for unlocked phones in the US, meaning carrier-locked S26 users will likely need to wait for the stable release. During the previous cycle, Samsung opened the One UI 8.5 beta on December 8, 2025, for the Galaxy S25, S25+, and S25 Ultra, though owners in Poland and India had to wait until the second beta build on December 22. Samsung later launched One UI 8.5 on the Galaxy S26 at its February 2026 Unpacked event, followed by a beta for the Galaxy S24 series, Z Fold 6, Z Flip 6, S25 FE, S24 FE, and Galaxy Tab S11 in late March. The One UI 9.0 beta rolled out on May 13, with the stable version releasing alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Z Flip 8 on July 22, aligning with Google's Android 17 release. One UI 9.5 remains based on Android 17.