Galactic-level AI advancement and quality-of-life enhancements allegedly coming in the upcoming One UI 8 for the Galaxy S26 series.
In the latest development, Samsung has introduced Voice Captioning, a new AI feature, on some Galaxy devices in China as part of the One UI 8 software update. This ground-breaking feature offers real-time speech-to-text conversion, translation across multiple languages, and summarization, surpassing the capabilities of the company's previous Live Captions [1][2][3][4].
Currently, Voice Captioning is officially available only in China, making it a highly anticipated feature for users outside the country. However, those who have attempted to access the feature by sideloading its APK on phones running One UI 7 or 8 have reported crashes and inconsistent functionality, indicating that the feature is not yet stable or officially supported globally [1][2][3].
As for the global availability, Samsung has not confirmed a specific date. It is speculated that Voice Captioning may be included in the final release of One UI 8.0 or a later update such as 8.5, but this remains uncertain as of early August 2025 [1][2][3].
When Voice Captioning becomes available worldwide, it could significantly enhance communication, particularly for users with hearing or language difficulties [1]. In the meantime, users are advised to exercise caution when downloading online files, as there is an inherent risk associated with sideloading apps on Android phones [5].
Meanwhile, Samsung is also working on improving Live Captioning, which will be renamed Galaxy AI and will feature Voice Captioning [6]. The company is also planning to add a new NFC antenna to the top of the upcoming Galaxy S26, which could bring about a significant improvement in NFC payments [7].
The Galaxy S26 is rumoured to have a quality-of-life improvement for NFC payments, making it more convenient to use compared to the current models where the NFC coil is placed just below the camera module, leading to the need to hold the phone at odd angles for payments [8].
For those who own iPhones, NFC payments are simpler as the device only requires the top half to be placed on the scanner [9]. On the other hand, Android devices like the Pixel 9 Pro offer a Live Translate feature that converts captions into another chosen language in real time [10].
It's worth noting that Samsung phones currently have only a single NFC coil, and its position varies slightly [11]. The company is also rumoured to be considering a new coil placement for the Galaxy S26 [12].
Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked events typically occur at the start of the year, with wider phone releases happening around two weeks later [13]. As we look forward to these events, the anticipation for Voice Captioning's global launch continues to grow.
References: [1] Samsung Newsroom. (2025). One UI 8 brings Voice Captioning to select Galaxy devices in China. [online] Available at: https://news.samsung.com/global/one-ui-8-brings-voice-captioning-to-select-galaxy-devices-in-china
[2] Android Authority. (2025). Samsung's Voice Captioning feature is here, but only in China. [online] Available at: https://www.androidauthority.com/samsung-voice-captioning-940636/
[3] XDA Developers. (2025). Samsung Voice Captioning APK available for download. [online] Available at: https://www.xda-developers.com/samsung-voice-captioning-apk-download/
[4] Galaxy Techie's X thread. (2025). Samsung Voice Captioning APK. [online] Available at: https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/samsung-voice-captioning-apk.4349329/
[5] TechRadar. (2023). The best antivirus apps and best VPNs to keep your data safe. [online] Available at: https://www.techradar.com/best/antivirus
[6] SamMobile. (2025). Samsung is working on a big improvement for Live Captioning called Galaxy AI. [online] Available at: https://www.sammobile.com/news/samsung-galaxy-ai-live-captioning-improvement/
[7] SamMobile. (2025). Samsung Galaxy S26 to feature a new NFC antenna. [online] Available at: https://www.sammobile.com/news/samsung-galaxy-s26-new-nfc-antenna/
[8] SamMobile. (2025). Galaxy S26 rumoured to have big quality-of-life improvement for NFC payments. [online] Available at: https://www.sammobile.com/news/galaxy-s26-big-quality-of-life-improvement-nfc-payments/
[9] MacRumors. (2023). How to use Apple Pay on iPhone. [online] Available at: https://www.macrumors.com/how-to/apple-pay-iphone/
[10] Android Central. (2025). How to use Live Transcribe on your Pixel phone. [online] Available at: https://www.androidcentral.com/how-use-live-transcribe-your-pixel-phone
[11] SamMobile. (2022). Samsung phones only have a single NFC coil, here's where it is placed. [online] Available at: https://www.sammobile.com/news/samsung-phones-single-nfc-coil/
[12] SamMobile. (2025). Samsung considering new NFC coil placement for Galaxy S26. [online] Available at: https://www.sammobile.com/news/samsung-considering-new-nfc-coil-placement-galaxy-s26/
[13] SamMobile. (2023). Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2023: Date, time, and what to expect. [online] Available at: https://www.sammobile.com/news/samsung-galaxy-unpacked-2023-date-time-expectations/
- Although Voice Captioning, a new AI feature by Samsung for real-time speech-to-text conversion, is currently only available in China, some users are trying to access it globally by sideloading its APK on phones running One UI 7 or 8, but these attempts have resulted in crashes and inconsistent functionality.
- As Samsung continues to work on improving Live Captioning and planning to add a new NFC antenna to the top of the upcoming Galaxy S26, the anticipation for Voice Captioning's global launch persists, particularly for those who own smartphones other than iPhones, which offer simpler NFC payments or real-time translation features like Live Translate on Android devices like the Pixel 9 Pro.
