It feels like it hasn’t even been a month since the last update, but a new one has already popped up on my Galaxy Tab A9. I checked the notification and was surprised to see that the One UI 8 & Android 16 update was ready to install.
I was quite satisfied after installing One UI 7, so I had been looking forward to One UI 8. However, the rollout happened much faster than I expected. Since even the entry-level Galaxy Tab A9 has received the update, it seems Samsung is nearing the completion of its One UI 8 deployment.
The update size was approximately 2.5GB, which is substantial, befitting a major OS upgrade. Despite the size, the installation finished relatively quickly.
Post-Update Performance: Still Snappy
The “snappiness” I felt after the One UI 7 update has carried over perfectly. You might wonder how fast a tablet with a Helio G99 processor and 4GB of RAM can be, but it continues to show a level of responsiveness that causes zero frustration in daily use.
Perhaps this confidence in optimization is why Samsung is promising 6 OS upgrades for the Galaxy Tab A11, which shares similar specs.
UI Changes: Subtle Refinements
Aside from the performance, there aren’t any drastic UI changes that immediately jump out. Realistically, major feature additions are often excluded from One UI updates for the Galaxy Tab A9 series. This is likely due to hardware limitations and product segmentation (tier differentiation). Naturally, there are no AI features included, so it’s best to view this as an update with minor changes.
However, a few things did catch my eye:
- Weather App: The UI has changed slightly, specifically with the addition of new animations.
- Multi-Window Improvements: There are thoughtful tweaks for multitasking. I tried to take a screenshot, but the menu appeared and vanished too quickly, so I failed to capture it. Essentially, controlling multi-windows on this small 8-inch screen has become much easier.
Other than that, I haven’t felt any major differences. Fortunately, I haven’t encountered any bugs or issues since the update.
The Last OS Update for the Galaxy Tab A9
Android 16 & One UI 8 mark the final OS update for the Galaxy Tab A9. With this, Samsung has fulfilled its promise of 3 OS updates. Security updates are promised for 4 years, so support should continue until October 2027.
Verdict
I bought this tablet via direct import for around 150,000 KRW (approx. $110), and I have been incredibly satisfied with it.
By next March, it will have been a year since I bought it. In South Korea, regulations stipulate that electronic devices imported directly for personal use can only be legally resold after one year has passed. Since I will be free to sell it by then, I think I’ll likely switch to the Galaxy Tab A11.
Even though the specs are nearly identical and it might not feel like much of an upgrade, the A11 is priced stably and promises updates until 2031. It seems like the logical next step.