Samsung clarifies eligibility criteria for One UI 8 beta on Galaxy Watch

Samsung has stepped in to clear the air regarding the sometimes-confusing eligibility requirements for its highly anticipated One UI 8 beta program for Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra users. Many hopeful testers, especially those with these latest smartwatches, found themselves scratching their heads when the beta update wouldn’t download, even after they successfully enrolled through the Samsung Members app. It turns out, there’s a bit more to it than just owning the latest hardware.

The main point of confusion seems to revolve around the Galaxy Watch Ultra, which doesn’t have any Bluetooth-only variant. Users who purchased their watches directly from Samsung, seemingly without a carrier tie-in, were surprised to find themselves ineligible for the beta. Samsung’s beta moderator, in a recent clarification, shed some much-needed light on the situation. They responded to many queries about the beta with the following:

So according to the beta mod, for those with LTE-enabled Galaxy Watch 7 and the Galaxy Watch Ultra, an active T-Mobile data plan has been a key requirement to receive the beta update. This means if your watch’s SIM is not activated or isn’t currently using T-Mobile’s network, the software update simply wouldn’t be delivered, even if you managed to sign up for the beta program. This detail has caused some frustration among users.

“A lot of us here have Ultras that are NOT active on a carrier be it T-Mobile or not. We bought them directly from Samsung and are not able to download the beta even tho we were allowed to enroll. We need Samsung to clarify if your Ultra HAS to be active on T-Mobile or if an unactivated Ultra from Samsung directly is eligible.” expressed one user, Galaxy4mylife.

Another user, Scott62, shared a similar experience, “Well I have the ultra on the t-mobile network. I bought it unlocked from Samsung directly. The beta program let me join, but I cannot download the beta 8. I also have the ‘galaxy s24 ultra’ unlocked from Samsung directly and maybe that is why I can’t get the beta 8 to download on the watch ultra.” 

However, a glimmer of hope, and perhaps further confusion, emerged from the user community itself. One Reddit user, Raistan77, reported a different experience. They said, it “works for the version of the Ultra bought directly from Samsung. I installed it last night and have had no issues, my watch did not come from Tmobile.”

So while there’s still some confusion here, for owners of Bluetooth-only Galaxy Watch 7 models, there’s good news. These versions are not affected by the carrier restrictions and should receive the One UI 8 beta software update as usual. No SIM or mobile plan is required for Bluetooth-only smartwatches to participate.

This selective rollout, while frustrating for some, is likely due to the complexities of testing new software on carrier networks. Carriers often have strict requirements and need to approve new software versions to ensure network stability and compatibility. It’s a dance between manufacturers and network providers that can sometimes leave users in a waiting game. But any long-time Android user should know that this has always been the case.

For those eager to get their hands on One UI 8 and its new features, like the much-discussed “Now Bar” and enhanced health tracking, it’s crucial to double-check these specific eligibility criteria. If you have an LTE Galaxy Watch 7/Ultra and aren’t on T-Mobile, or don’t have an active plan, you might just have to hold tight for the public release of One UI 8. For those interested in seeing the changes with One UI 8 for Galaxy Watch, you can watch the video below: