Samsung could soon copy Apple's iPhone mirroring feature for your Galaxy phone

Aug 17, 2026 — 5:51 AM ET

  • Samsung is already actively testing early internal builds of One UI 9.5 on the Galaxy S26 series.
  • Latest additions include native App Mirroring for Galaxy Books, a redesigned fingerprint enrollment screen, and a bottom search bar.
  • Daily tools like the Camera app are getting a new UI polish, featuring cleaner pop-ups, rounded containers, and refined control icons.

Most Galaxy users haven’t even had the chance to try the stable One UI 9.0, but Samsung is already looking ahead. The company has been quietly testing One UI 9.5, and recent leaks suggest there’s more cooking than we initially thought. Beyond the App Lock and visual upgrades we’ve already seen, newly surfaced screenshots point to tighter Galaxy Book integration, easier-to-reach search, a new 24MP camera option, and long-overdue interface refreshes.

App Mirroring and Finder integration

The most intriguing discovery is App Mirroring. Leaker Fahad Ali Javed shared screenshots on X from Samsung’s CZH9 internal One UI 9.5 build, showing a feature that could let users wirelessly access their phone’s apps and notifications from a laptop. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi need to be enabled, and both devices must use the same Samsung account.

If that sounds familiar, it should. Apple has offered iPhone Mirroring since macOS Sequoia, allowing users to interact with their iPhone and its apps and notifications directly from a Mac while the iPhone remains locked. Apple’s implementation even lets users control the iPhone with a Mac’s mouse, trackpad, and keyboard.

Samsung’s version appears to be heading in much the same direction, although it’s too early to say how closely the final implementation will match Apple’s.

This standalone integration continues Samsung’s gradual shift away from Microsoft partnerships, following recent moves to decouple OneDrive sync and make SwiftKey removable. Given the apparent similarities between App Mirroring and the existing Phone Link integration, it’s also easy to assume the latter could be on the way out of the Galaxy ecosystem.

Alongside this desktop integration, the screenshots also hint that Samsung could be porting over the ergonomic bottom-docked Finder layout first seen on its newest foldables. A new home screen toggle lets you place a dedicated search bar right next to the favorite apps dock, putting global search comfortably within one-handed thumb reach.

Camera refinements and modern biometrics

The Camera app is getting more than a visual cleanup. The latest One UI 9.5 build running on the base Galaxy S26 apparently adds a native 24MP option, putting the resolution directly within the camera controls.

According to a video Fahad shared on X, Samsung is also experimenting with new spring-like physics for sub-menu expansions and tooltip pop-ins, making these interactions feel more fluid. That comes alongside more rounded pop-up menus, improved spacing, softer backgrounds, and blur across parts of the Camera interface, including Pro Photo, Super Steady, and the More modes menu.

One UI 9.5 internal build CZH9 on S26 Base camera animations:• Native 24MP toggle directly on the base model.• New spring physics on sub-menu expansions and tooltip pop-insHere’s the animation behavior in action.

While not everyone may find it fun, most Samsung users will likely welcome this balanced approach. Instead of forcing a jarring visual overhaul, Samsung seems focused on refining long-neglected system UI elements while adding genuinely useful ecosystem tools.

Of course, we’re still looking at an internal build, and plenty could change before launch. But if these early discoveries are anything to go by, One UI 9.5 could deliver a noticeably more polished and cohesive experience when it arrives alongside the Galaxy S27 series.