Samsung is pushing the fourth One UI 8.5 beta to the Galaxy S25 family, and the headline addition is a Direct Voicemail feature that brings on-device call screening and live transcription to Samsung’s Phone app. The firmware build, identified by a version suffix ending in ZZAL, is rolling out to select markets alongside the latest Android security patch.
What’s included in One UI 8.5 Beta 4 for Galaxy S25
The update weighs in at roughly 1.48GB, a sizable package for a mid-cycle beta. Beyond stability and performance tuning, Samsung’s changelog highlights fixes for the lock screen clock display, more reliable switching when taking calls over Bluetooth headsets, and corrected behavior for AI Select, which previously closed unexpectedly in some scenarios. These are the kinds of polish items that typically surface late in a beta program as OEMs tighten daily-use friction points.
Community testers report smoother animations and fewer UI hitches during multitasking, which tracks with Samsung’s recent emphasis on frame pacing and input latency in the One UI 8.x line. While Samsung doesn’t publish frame-time metrics for betas, user feedback from the Samsung Members community often mirrors the refinements that appear in the final build.
How Direct Voicemail works on the Galaxy S25 series
Direct Voicemail lets Galaxy S25 users route calls straight to voicemail automatically after a set interval or manually with a tap, then watch a real-time transcript of the caller’s message as it’s recorded. Transcripts and audio live inside the Samsung Phone app, keeping call management in one place.
The feature functions on-device, which is crucial for two reasons: it works regardless of carrier visual voicemail support, and sensitive audio stays local during processing. The approach echoes Apple’s Live Voicemail and contrasts with Google’s Call Screen on Pixel phones, which actively answers callers with an assistant before handing off. Here, the call is sent to voicemail and transcribed in real time, giving you context without picking up.
Based on screenshots from Korean release notes referenced by beta testers, settings for Direct Voicemail reside in the Phone app’s call handling or voicemail section. You can choose an automatic timeout for all unknown calls, trigger it case-by-case, and review transcripts alongside your call history. If you’ve ever missed a delivery call or a business contact, being able to glance at a transcript before deciding to call back is a meaningful quality-of-life upgrade.
Rollout and availability for Galaxy S25 beta users
According to tester reports and tracking by well-known community sources on X, the firmware is currently reaching Galaxy S25 devices in South Korea, India, Germany, the UK, and the US. As with prior betas, distribution happens through the Samsung Members app for enrolled users and may arrive in waves.
Early indications suggest Direct Voicemail may be region-limited at launch. It is not explicitly listed in the common changelog for every market, which often signals a phased enablement tied to language models or local telephony behavior. That pattern is common in Samsung rollouts where on-device AI features depend on language packs and speech models.
Why it matters ahead of the stable One UI 8.5 release
One UI 8.5 is expected to debut in stable form with Samsung’s next Galaxy S flagship generation. Shipping a fourth beta with tangible usability improvements suggests the core build is nearing final polish, with remaining work focused on regional features such as transcription accuracy and carrier interoperability.
Direct Voicemail also fills a practical gap for Galaxy users who juggle personal and work calls. For people who keep their phones on vibrate or spend hours in meetings, live voicemail transcripts reduce call anxiety and unnecessary interruptions. It’s a small-seeming addition that can change daily call habits, much like visual voicemail once did when it replaced touch-tone inboxes.
If you’re enrolled in the beta, check Samsung Members for the ZZAL update and plan for the 1.48GB download on Wi-Fi. If the voicemail feature isn’t visible immediately, it may appear after a reboot or a Phone app update, and availability can vary by region and language. As always with betas, back up your data before installing and watch for app-specific updates that align with the new features.
