- New features in Samsung One UI 8.5 have been leaked
- We have Privacy Display and Bixby with added confusion
- The software will get a full launch soon
Samsung One UI 8.5 is currently in beta testing and is expected to arrive alongside the Galaxy S26 phones sometime in February – and as the beta program continues, we’ll be getting some sneak previews of the software features headed to Samsung’s top phones.
First, SamMobile has found a new Privacy Display feature tucked away in the One UI 8.5 beta code. This feature was leaked last year and essentially makes it harder for someone to view your phone screen from an angle once it’s enabled in Settings.
In this new leak, we can see how the Privacy Display feature is presented in the Tips app. The info screen reveals that Privacy Display can be turned on and off manually or activated automatically based on certain criteria (such as when you’re away from home).
The same screens have been unearthed SammyGuru, with an additional animation included showing how the screen darkens at an angle. According to tipster @UniverseIce, the animation actually shows an accurate rendering of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra.
Bixby with added confusion
Welcome to 2026 everyone! Let’s start this year with a bang. A look at the new Bixby, powered by Perplexity. Thanks to @achultra for hooking me up with the apk pic.twitter.com/sKZQlEX6w71 January 2026
That’s not all we have from One UI 8.5 today. Tipster @thatjoshguy69 has posted a look at Samsung’s Bixby AI running on the software, with extra powers provided by Perplexity – a partnership we’d already heard was coming.
The interface is pretty much what you’d expect: run a query, Bixby checks the web, and you get a detailed response with links back to sources. The only real giveaway that another AI bot is involved in is the Perplexity button at the end of the answer.
This appears to be a similar arrangement to what Apple and Siri have with ChatGPT, and it raises a question or two about how Samsung will position both Gemini and Bixby on its phones going forward (it still wants to stay friendly with Google, of course).
Neither Privacy Display nor Bixby with Perplexity are live in One UI 8.5 yet – they’re both tucked away in the beta code. As the launch of the software update approaches, we should hear some official announcements from Samsung about these features.
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