Samsung
This one feature will make you love the Samsung Galaxy S25
As a long-time Samsung Galaxy user, I am familiar with many of the key innovations and developments in the smartphone industry. In the ever-evolving smartphone technology, software updates play a crucial role in enhancing device performance, security, and features.
The world’s best smartphone maker, Samsung Electronics, is rumored to be bringing a significant software update method to its upcoming flagship, the Galaxy S25 series, with the introduction of seamless software updates. This feature, if implemented, could change things up for how its phones manage software upgrades. It would bring Samsung in line with what users have come to expect from competitors like Google.
Importance of Seamless software update?
Having seamless updates makes life a lot easier for smartphone users. Normally, updating a phone’s software means being without your device for several minutes or even longer (in major software update cases) while the system prepares, installs, and reboots. This process can be a real pain, especially if you’re out or right in the middle of something important.
With Seamless updates, you don’t need to worry about the time-consuming process. It allows the phone to download an update in the background and install it to an inactive partition. When you reboot your phone, it switches to this updated partition, minimizing downtime. There’s a safety net; if something goes wrong with the new software update, the phone can revert to the previous version easily, reducing the risk of serious issues like “bricking” your device.
If the Galaxy S25 rumors turn out to be true, Samsung might finally introduce a feature that many users, particularly beta testers of One UI, have been eagerly anticipating.
From my own experience in One UI beta testing, the lack of seamless updates often meant extended times without phone functionality during updates. This could change with the S25, making beta testing more accessible and less difficult.
Samsung has provided updates effectively in the past, but they’ve never been seamless like Google‘s. By adopting the seamless updates method, Samsung could show they care about user experience just as much.
About the history, Google introduced seamless updates with Android 7.0 Nougat in 2016, setting a benchmark for Android device updates. Here’s how Google does it:
Google uses A/B system partitions where one partition (A) runs the current software, and updates are installed on the other (B) without interrupting the user. The whole process happens in the background, and once they’re ready, a reboot is all that’s required to switch to the new version.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (Source – Sammyfans)
How will it change the Galaxy S25 series experience?
The Galaxy S25 series users will have a great experience with the seamless software updates. The update would be downloaded and installed on an inactive system partition. When you decide to reboot or it happens automatically, your phone will switch to the updated system without the long wait typically associated with updates. The actual time your phone is unusable might only be the boot time, significantly less than the current update processes.
The Galaxy S25 will be breaking new ground here, bringing this crucial feature to the table before any other Samsung phone. It’ll be the only model in the Galaxy family.
Alongside this feature, there’s expected to be a larger display for all models, with the S25 Ultra possibly featuring a more rounded back for comfort. It is expected to be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite, promising exceptional performance. The series is rumored to launch in January 2025 with the Android 15-based One UI 7 software.
Disclaimer
Please note, as of now, there’s no official confirmation from Samsung regarding the inclusion of seamless updates or the exact specifications of the Galaxy S25 series. All the information provided is based on leaks and rumors, subject to change or clarification upon official release.
On November 19, Google dropped the Android 16 Developer Preview. It’s a very initial development stage of the new Android version. Samsung Galaxy devices may receive the new Android 16-based One UI (8) update in the second half of 2025.
Dozens of Samsung Galaxy devices are eligible for the Android 16 update. Galaxy smartphone users are currently waiting for the One UI 7 Beta Program to kick off. It will bring Android 15 to Samsung smartphones and tablets.
Samsung’s running way too late this year. It hasn’t yet started the new software’s beta testing. The public rollout is slated to be started early next year. Meanwhile, Google is shifting gears to streamline Android’s adoption across vendors.
In recent years, Samsung has significantly improved its software support. The majority of new phones come with at least six years of OS update support. The policy peaks up to 7 years on flagship devices starting the Galaxy S24 series.
Determining the Android 16’s eligibility for Galaxy isn’t a pretty difficult task. You will surely receive the update if your device is shipped with Android 14. It’s for entry-level phones, while for most there’s no concern for mid-range and flagships.
Samsung Android 16 Eligible Device List
Galaxy S Smartphones:
- Galaxy S22 Series
- Galaxy S23 Series
- Galaxy S24 Series
Galaxy Z Fold and Flip Phones:
- Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4
- Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5
- Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6
Galaxy S FE Phones:
- Galaxy S21 FE
- Galaxy S23 FE
- Galaxy S24 FE
Galaxy A Phones:
- Galaxy A33, A53 and A73
- Galaxy A14, A24, A34 and A54
- Galaxy A15, A25, A35 and A55
- Galaxy A06, A16
Galaxy Tab Tablets:
- Galaxy Tab S8, Tab S8+ and Tab S8 Ultra
- Galaxy Tab S9, Tab S9+ and Tab S9 Ultra
- Galaxy Tab S10+ and Tab S10 Ultra
Note: This is not a final device list nor shared by Samsung. Based on the official software support promise, the above-listed Samsung phones and tablets will surely receive a major OS upgrade in the second half of 2025.
The listing of the S21 FE may have caught your attention due to missing the missing S21 series. For those shocking, the S21 series and S21 FE are eligible for four OS upgrades. The S21 FE launched with Android 12, while the S21 series with Android 11.
Android 16 is the thing of next year, we eagerly await the One UI 7 Beta along with covering the latest insights. The official rollout will commence after unveiling at the Galaxy Unpacked next year, which could fall in late January.
Samsung has released the November 2024 update for the Galaxy S24 FE, which brings a new Auto Blocker feature. This update is currently rolling out in the US and will be available to more users soon.
The advanced Auto Blocker feature for Samsung Galaxy S24 FE helps improve your device’s security by blocking USB devices from connecting to your phone when Maximum Restrictions mode is enabled.
In the Maximum Restrictions mode, only charging is allowed through USB connections. This means other devices, like a computer or another phone, won’t be able to access your data if they try to connect via USB.
The extra layer of protection is useful for users who need stronger security, preventing unauthorized access to your data if someone physically connects to your phone.
Along with the new feature, the update also includes general improvements to system security and stability, making your Galaxy S24 FE more reliable and safer to use.
To get the update, Samsung Galaxy S24 FE users should look for the One UI build version S721USQS3AXK3, which is around 400MB in size. To install it, just go to Settings, tap on Software Update, and select Download and Install.
If you’ve received the update, it’s recommended to install it to benefit from the new features, enhanced security along new Auto Blocker support.
Samsung One UI 7 will provide extra security with advanced Auto Blocker feature
Samsung is likely to work on a new feature for its TVs called Color Booster Pro. The company recently (November 15, 2024) filed a trademark for the name, which suggests it might be an upgraded version of its current Color Booster feature.
Currently, Color Booster is available on some Samsung smart TVs. It allows users to make the colors on their screen brighter and more vivid, especially red and blue tones.
The trademark application covers chips and software used to improve the image quality of TVs, monitors, and digital signs. While details are still unclear, there are a few possibilities for what the Color Booster Pro feature could be.
There might be one possibility that Samsung may just want to protect the name Color Booster Pro to make sure no one else can use it. Another possibility is that the company might rename the current Color Booster feature to Color Booster Pro without changing it too much.
If Samsung is working on an advanced version for the version of the Color Booster then it could be the most possibility. It might give users more options to fine-tune the picture quality to allow for more control than the current Low and High settings.
We might see Color Booster Pro in select 2025 TV models possibly along with a new version of its Tizen operating system, only if Samsung moves forward with this.
While nothing is certain yet, this trademark filing shows that Samsung is thinking about ways to improve how users can adjust their TV’s picture settings. For now, we’ll have to wait and see if Color Booster Pro becomes a real feature.