Galaxy Phones Could Soon Screen Unknown Calls With AI in One UI 8.5
Galaxy phones may get One UI 8.5 with live AI call screening, automatic spam detection, and unknown number management in early 2026.
image for illustrative purpose
Samsung is reportedly developing an automatic call screening feature for its Galaxy smartphones with the upcoming One UI 8.5 update, expected early next year. The new feature aims to reduce spam and unwanted calls, similar to the call screening functionality currently offered on Google Pixel devices.
Currently, Galaxy phones support Bixby Text Call, which allows users to screen incoming calls. However, this feature requires manual activation for each voice call. Sources indicate that One UI 8.5 will introduce a more advanced, automated system. Code strings discovered in the update suggest that users could screen all incoming calls from unknown numbers without manual input.
The feature will allow the phone to answer calls on the user’s behalf. Using AI-driven technology, the system can interpret the caller’s message and respond automatically. A live transcription feature will display the conversation in real-time on the phone’s screen, giving users full visibility into both the caller’s and the AI’s responses.
One UI 8.5 will also expand call screening options within the stock dialer app. Users could choose to screen: all unknown numbers, only scam and spam numbers, or unknown numbers while excluding selected contacts. For users in South Korea, Samsung may introduce more granular options:
* High: All unknown numbers
* Medium: Spam and scam numbers, international calls, and numbers with blocked IDs
* Low: Only numbers identified as spam or scam
It remains uncertain whether this automatic call screening will be available globally or restricted to specific regions and languages. Samsung is expected to provide full details when the Galaxy S26 series is officially launched, coinciding with the debut of One UI 8.5.
