Samsung Brings 360-Degree Horizon Lock to Galaxy S25 as One UI 9 Beta Lands

Q: Does this unexpected South Korean hotfix signal a delay for the stable Android 17 rollout worldwide?

No. The South Korea-only Galaxy S26 Ultra hotfix is more likely a targeted beta cleanup than clear evidence of a worldwide delay to stable Android 17. The strongest signal is the update itself: it is small at about 512MB, limited to one model, and Samsung’s changelog says only that stability-related code has been applied. That fits a hotfix for a specific issue rather than a broad setback for the entire One UI 9 release. Recent reporting also suggests Samsung has been issuing frequent beta maintenance builds for the S26 line, including fixes for Wi‑Fi, camera launch bugs, UI flicker, and other device-specific problems. There is also context that argues against reading this as a major delay. Samsung already launched stable One UI 9 on the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Fold 8 Ultra, and Flip 8 in July, showing the Android 17-based software itself is production-ready. At the same time, Samsung is expanding the One UI 9 beta to more devices and markets in September, including the Galaxy S25 series, Z Fold 7, and Z Flip 7 in Korea, India, the U.K., and the U.S. That is the behavior of an active rollout, not a stalled one. What the hotfix does suggest is that the Galaxy S26 series may need a bit more polishing before its own stable build lands globally. In other words, it may point to a model-specific timing adjustment for the S26 Ultra or S26 family, but there is no solid evidence yet that Samsung is delaying the worldwide Android 17 rollout across the broader Galaxy lineup.

3 articles · Updated · SamMobile - Samsung news · Sep 2

One UI 9.0 Beta 1 for the Galaxy S25, S25+ and S25 Ultra adds Horizontal Lock to Super Steady Video, letting footage stay level even if the phone rotates a full 360 degrees.
The feature uses gyro sensor data to hold the horizon steady during action shots such as running or jumping, and first debuted on the Galaxy S26 series earlier in 2026.
Samsung’s move follows the feature’s arrival on the Galaxy S26 FE, which uses the Exynos 2500 chip, making its expansion to the S25 lineup a logical step.
Super Steady with Horizontal Lock is enabled from the stock Camera app’s Video mode, but recording is capped at QHD 60fps rather than standard mode’s 4K 60fps.