Ryan Haines / Android Authority
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TL;DR
- One UI 9 is now rolling out to the Galaxy A16 and the Galaxy A35 in the US.
- The Galaxy A16 was the first Samsung phone to launch with the promise of six years of Android updates.
- The Android 17-based update introduces a handful of new features, including improved Quick Settings customization and a revamp of Samsung Health, among other upgrades.
Samsung began rolling out the Android 17-based One UI 9 update to some of its flagships several weeks ago. Since then, we’ve seen the manufacturer gradually bring some older devices into the fold, including devices from its popular budget and midrange smartphone lineup. Now, two Samsung A-series devices in the US are joining the party.
US customers of the Galaxy A16 and the mid-tier Galaxy A35 can now download and install the much-anticipated One UI 9 update, according to SamMobile. The Galaxy A35 update arrives with the firmware version A356USQUCEZJ2, while the Galaxy A16 receives A166USQUAEZJ5.
In addition to the noticeable visual enhancements, the update adds a more extensive Quick Panel customization layout and tweaks some of its existing tools like Samsung Notes. The Samsung Health app is also getting a revamp. Additionally, users will see privacy indicators to alert them when their location or microphone is being used in the background.
You won’t find some of the memory-heavy AI features that devices like the Galaxy S25 picked up after the update, largely due to hardware limitations. Still, this update will breathe new life into your Galaxy A16 or Galaxy A35, with the former being the company’s first budget phone to support six years of Android updates.
If you haven’t seen an update notification yet, head over to Settings > Software update to check for one manually.
One UI 9 is also rolling out to a few other Galaxy midrangers globally, including the Galaxy A36 5G. So it should only be a matter of time before most eligible Galaxy phones pick up the coveted update.
