Samsung was certainly not the fastest Android device manufacturer to roll out an official 9.0 goodie pack for a 2018 flagship model, but after taking care of Galaxy S9, S9+, and Galaxy Note 9 users worldwide, the company is now delivering a timely new major OS update for the Galaxy Note 8. Released all the way back in the fall of 2017, the S Pen-wielding 6.3-inch powerhouse got some unexpected Android Pie beta love last month, and by the looks of things, those public tests went well.
So well that the stable Android 9.0 Pie rollout is already underway, according to SamMobile, at least in countries like Bulgaria and Slovakia. If recent history is any indication, it might take Samsung a good few weeks to spread these Pie-flavored UI tweaks, performance enhancements, and stability optimizations around the world. But the update is likely to expand gradually to more and more regions in a matter of days, so be on the lookout for that over-the-air download notification.
Naturally, public beta program participants will get first dibs on the official Android Pie update across supported regions, while owners of US carrier-locked Galaxy Note 8 variants may have to continue playing the waiting game for quite a bit longer. The Galaxy S9, for instance, kicked off its stable 9.0 deployment before Christmas, but America's "big four" wireless service providers needed an extra month or so to apply their proprietary software optimizations on top of Google's standard upgrades and Samsung's own One UI improvements.
Samsung's One UI is applied on top of Android 9.0
Right now, we don't have a Galaxy Note 8-specific list of software changes to share, but there's really no reason to expect major differences between this phone's Pie treats and those previously released for the newer Note 9, S9, and S9+. If you don't know what One UI is all about, you may want to check out our thorough comparison with Experience 9, Samsung's previous Android skin version.
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Meanwhile, if you're burning with impatience to ditch your old handset's equally old Android Oreo build, you could try taking a look in your "System updates" menu under "Settings." There's an option to "Check for system updates", and if you're incredibly lucky, you might be able to download the stable Android Pie package manually.
Up next, the Galaxy S8 and S8+ should be able to make the jump to OS version 9.0 by the end of the month as well, at least in a handful of regions.
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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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