According to SamMobile, Samsung’s latest One UI 8.5 beta software, which is currently in testing for Galaxy phones and tablets, is based on Android 16 QPR2. This specific Android build may not include a new feature that lets users check which apps are accessing their location in real-time. The report notes that Samsung could still adopt this privacy tool for future versions of One UI beyond 8.5. The information comes from the site’s source, a computer science engineer and tech journalist based in Hyderabad, India. So, for now, the timeline for this visibility feature on Samsung devices remains uncertain.
User Privacy Waiting Game
Here’s the thing: this is a classic Android ecosystem dilemma. Google builds a neat privacy feature directly into the core Android code, but then it’s up to each manufacturer—like Samsung with its One UI skin—to decide if and when to implement it. For users, it’s frustrating. You hear about a cool new way to see which app is secretly pinging your location every five minutes, but then you might have to wait months, or even skip a whole software generation, to actually get it on your premium phone. It creates a weird inequality where two people with different Android brands have vastly different privacy controls. Makes you wonder, doesn’t it? If the feature is in the underlying Android code, what’s taking so long to just turn it on?
Samsung’s Balancing Act
So why the hold-up? It’s rarely as simple as flipping a switch. Samsung has to take that raw Android feature and integrate it into One UI, which has its own design language, settings menus, and system behaviors. They might want to test it extensively to make sure it doesn’t break battery life or cause app crashes. There’s also a potential developer relations angle. Suddenly shining a bright light on which apps are location-hungry could cause backlash against both Samsung and the app developers. They might be weighing how to present the data in a way that’s useful but not alarmist. Basically, they’re trying to avoid another “scandal” where users find out their flashlight app has been tracking them for years.
The Bigger Picture
Look, this small delay highlights a much bigger trend. Platform-level privacy features are becoming a major battleground, and Apple has been aggressively leading that charge. For Android and manufacturers like Samsung, catching up isn’t just about checking a box. It’s about rebuilding user trust in an ecosystem often perceived as less secure. Every time a promised privacy tool is delayed, it feeds that narrative. For enterprises and more security-conscious markets, these features aren’t just nice-to-haves; they’re becoming part of the purchasing decision. Samsung needs to get this right, not just get it done. The real impact will be in how seamlessly and powerfully the feature works when it finally lands. Let’s hope the wait is worth it.
