Samsung may borrow Google’s memory safety trick for One UI 9


Security and privacy settings on the Galaxy Z Flip 6

Mishaal Rahman / Android Authority

TL;DR

  • One UI 9 is expected to introduce a Memory Tagging Extension (MTE) toggle directly in the Auto Blocker app.
  • MTE leverages Arm v9 CPU features to actively tag memory blocks, shutting down unauthorized access, data corruption, and security holes as they happen.
  • This elevated security isn’t free — Samsung warns that enabling MTE will slightly reduce your phone’s performance.

Most people don’t realize how easily apps can misuse your phone’s memory. Simple memory mistakes can lead to corrupted data, unauthorized access, or even security holes. Arm’s v9 CPUs have a hardware feature called Memory Tagging Extension (MTE) that can catch these bugs as they happen. Until recently, though, hardly any phones let you enable it.

This might be about to change. Some strings we’ve spotted in Samsung’s Auto Blocker app suggests that One UI 9 could let users turn on MTE with a simple switch.

Code

Enables memory tagging extension 
Detects and prevents memory issues like corruption and unauthorized access in your apps by tagging memory blocks. Ensures memory is used correctly, enhancing security and stability. This can reduce your phone's performance.

This feature isn’t just an idea — Pixel 8 phones already have it in Developer Options, and it turns on automatically with Advanced Protection. Now it looks like Samsung is getting ready to do the same.

So what does MTE actually do? It tags memory blocks so the system can spot when an app tries to use them the wrong way, like reading from a place it shouldn’t or writing into another app’s space. This means fewer crashes, better stability, and stronger protection against common security exploits.

memory tagging extension

AssembleDebug / Android Authority

There is a trade-off: MTE can slow your phone down a little. As Samsung puts it, “This can reduce your phone’s performance.”

Code

MTE is not applied yet until reboot 
 Restart later
 To turn on Maximum restrictions, your phone needs to restart. 
 Reboot your phone?

You’ll need to restart your phone after turning MTE on. The text includes messages like “MTE is not applied yet until reboot” and a prompt asking you to restart. Samsung appears to be putting this option in the Auto Blocker app instead of hiding it in Developer Options, which should make it much easier for regular users to find.

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It’s still not clear which devices will get this feature. Since MTE needs Arm v9 hardware, it seems highly likely that only newer Samsung phones with the right chipsets will support it.

Samsung hasn’t made an official announcement yet, but the user-facing text suggests One UI 9 is the goal.

⚠️ An APK teardown helps predict features that may arrive on a service in the future based on work-in-progress code. However, it is possible that such predicted features may not make it to a public release.

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