Paul Jones / Android Authority
TL;DR
- A leaked One UI 9 build shows the Galaxy S25 Ultra testing a tool that brightens backlit subjects without blowing out the background.
- The feature, Virtual Reflector, debuted on the Galaxy S26 Ultra and simulates a physical photography reflector in software.
- Samsung hasn’t confirmed a One UI 9 beta for the S25 series yet, so the feature could still be changed or dropped before release.
Samsung appears to be preparing more than a routine software update for the Galaxy S25 series. Recent One UI 9 internal builds have already revealed camera features such as Horizontal Lock and My FanCam, and now another Galaxy S26 Ultra feature has surfaced on the Galaxy S25 Ultra. This time, Samsung could be giving its 2025 flagship a useful new tool to help with portraits in tricky lighting.
Leaker Fahad Ali Javed shared screenshots on X showing the Virtual Reflector tool running on a Galaxy S25 Ultra with an internal One UI 9 build ending in ZZHC. SamMobile has also reported on the discovery, noting that Samsung is testing the feature through its Expert RAW camera app.
Virtual Reflector debuted on the Galaxy S26 Ultra as a way to recreate something professional photographers use: a physical reflector. Instead of carrying one around, the phone uses software to simulate reflected light and brighten parts of a subject that would otherwise fall into shadow. That could be useful when your subject is standing with a bright window or the sun behind them. Rather than capture an exposed background and a dark face, Virtual Reflector can add light to the subject without sacrificing the background.
The tool lets you choose the reflector’s color (Silver for a more neutral look and Gold for warmer, softer lighting), adjust its reflectance, and change the direction of the virtual light.
Of course, seeing the feature in an internal build doesn’t guarantee that Samsung will release it for the S25 Ultra. The company hasn’t even announced the One UI 9 beta for the Galaxy S25 series, and features found in development builds can still be changed or removed.
There is also a chance that some of these new camera additions will remain exclusive to the Ultra model. Still, Virtual Reflector adds to the growing evidence that Samsung is looking to bring several of the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s camera tricks to last year’s flagship.
If it survives development, Galaxy S25 Ultra owners could get a surprisingly capable camera upgrade without changing their hardware.
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