Samsung's Potential Android 15 Release Leaves Most Galaxy Users Disappointed
Samsung's Potential Android 15 Release Leaves Most Galaxy Users Disappointed
Republished on December 29 with new reports suggesting a delayed Android security upgrade for Samsung phones, now confirmed as approaching Samsung devices.
If the rumors hold true, Samsung's One UI 7 beta may have a few unexpected twists for Galaxy owners. The beta was delayed, but it offers notable improvements. However, as millions anticipate installing the beta in the upcoming weeks, they might be left feeling let down.
As stated by @familytaes on X, "The 24 series OneUI 7 beta 3 will be released between 30th~6th (with a potential variance of +- 2 days). Following beta 3, there will be 2-3 more beta builds at most. The S23/22/21/A series will not participate in any beta programs." The good news is that the stable release schedule remains on track. "The stable rollout timeline will be announced at unpacked (most likely during the 1st-2nd week of February)."
Android Authority published this "disappointing" news along with the "new One UI 7 beta rumor to sour your holiday cheer... If this information proves accurate, Samsung's One UI beta program would deviate significantly from typical practices. The omission of beta software for older Galaxy flagships will also not sit well with users already frustrated by Samsung's delayed Android 16 rollout."
It's a pity. Samsung's spin on Android 16 is noteworthy. While it may not appeal to every Samsung and Android enthusiast, I've shared separately, the trend towards stricter defaults, restriction of sideloading, and enhanced controls on wireless and physical connections, as well as tighter oversight of the ecosystem, is commendable from a security and privacy perspective. Although not closing the gap entirely, Samsung is making progress in matching iPhone and distinguishing itself from Pixel.
The obligatory warning for leaks applies here. "As Android Authority states, 'it's crucial to underline that other more reliable Samsung leakers have yet to confirm this rumor.'" Having reached out to Samsung for a comment or affirmation on the leaks' legitimacy, I am still awaiting a response.
Once One UI 7 becomes available for your phone, whether in beta or the upcoming stable release, it's likely to transform your device. Although Samsung faced backlash for the delays, it seems to be worth the wait. Remember to familiarize yourself with Samsung's and Google's Android security and privacy updates during installation.
As Samsung shared, "One UI 7 strengthens security and privacy in the era of AI, empowering users with greater transparency and control," which I believe is a fair statement. The timing is suitable for such an enhancement as AI-powered threats start impacting mobile security in a significant way, with phishing attempts and AI-enhanced malware posing a serious threat to users.
Android 16 and One UI 7 will aid in the fight with live threat detection and stricter controls on installations, downloads, and permission abuse. Although the absence of a beta may be frustrating (if true), the swift availability of the stable release for your device is essential.
Considerable delays to other updates in recent months, primarily impacting the One UI 7 beta itself, have raised concerns regarding the timely Android 16 rollout for Samsung devices.
We won't have a conclusive answer anytime soon, but SamMobile recently pointed out that, "over the past 2-3 years, Samsung has launched the stable One UI update before the end of the year. However, this year, the One UI 7 beta was delayed by three months. During the SDC 2024 event in October, Samsung announced that it would begin rolling out the stable One UI 7.0 update in the first quarter of 2025. It looks as if Samsung is staying true to their promise. However, don't expect each and every device in each region to receive the update simultaneously."
Charmingly, the One UI 7 release is planned to coincide with the Galaxy S25 relaunch, aimed at tackling the inconsistent update schedule that leaves many Samsung users waiting.
Although this won't address the location, model, carrier dilemma impacting Android updates, the long-awaited implementation of seamless updates at least begins to solve the issue and reduces the pain for users. An ideal solution would be a one-size-fits-all, worldwide approach like Apple, but we're not there yet.
With One UI 7, the enhanced focus on user experience may also extend the upgrade timeline. SamMobile shares that, "Samsung has been tardy with the release of the latest One UI update this year. According to reports, the company purposely wanted a significant update with an improved user experience, and it delivered just that. One UI 7 boasts a significant UI design overhaul." Check here to ascertain your device's eligibility for the update.
Android 16 is a captivating security and privacy upgrade, elevated further by Samsung's One UI customization, which is a shame about the delays in releasing the new OS on phones, particularly the newly launched flagship devices. But it's a game-changer for Android, and we won't have to wait much longer. Just be careful not to install pre-release software or apps from internet or social media sources in the interim.
While the limitation on beta releases for S23 and S22 users, who anticipated an early taste of Android 15, is disappointing, it's not just their flagships that are affected. there's been a setback for S24 owners as well. There were expectations for another One UI 7 beta release before the year's end, but those hopes seem to have faded away.
As reported by SamMobile, "if you were still holding onto the hope that Samsung will release another One UI 7 beta for the Galaxy S24 series before the end of the year," you're bound to be disappointed." The info originates from a U.S. Samsung forum moderator who confirmed that "we will announce the status of Beta 3 once the software is available." Given that we're just four days away from the end of the year, this announcement is quite telling.
According to SamMobile, however, "as we were writing this, Samsung India's beta team revealed that the next beta update is 'expected to be released at the end of December 2024', but it's wise to keep your expectations low."
For those considering an S25 upgrade, there's some encouraging news in terms of security. According to SammyFans, the new model "is almost confirmed to debut Seamless Updates. After avoiding this iconic feature for years, the company is ready to launch it with the upcoming devices. It will follow the initial yet silent release on the Galaxy A55. Leaked files from the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra confirmed the inclusion of Seamless Updates."
This follows an Android Authority report that identified signs that this long-awaited security upgrade is finally making its way to Samsung flagships. "Yes," the website states, "the Galaxy S25 series supports seamless updates. Technically, Seamless Updates is an A/B Partition solution in Android. It's a core-level configuration that can't be implemented through software. Samsung seems to have tested the feature with the launch of the Galaxy A55. With A/B Partition, a new software update installs in the background. This allows the phone to function without any disruptions. Once the installation is complete, the user simply needs to restart the phone to install the software."
It's uncertain at this point if this can be applied to older flagships or if it's exclusive to the S25 series. This gap in Samsung's security arsenal is quite significant given how long it's been available on other Android devices. It streamlines and should speed up the often-painful monthly update process, and it makes updates quicker and easier for users without the usual reboot downtime.
As Android Authority explains, "it's also more secure than the legacy method as a software failure doesn't corrupt the system firmware due to temporary installation in the secondary partition. Interestingly, Google introduced Seamless Updates with Android Nougat 7.1."
Google evidently wants Samsung—Android's leading OEM by far—to adopt this (relatively) new update method. It's unclear why it's taken so long. As I reported in November, "there's one area where the gap between Samsung and iPhone remains as wide as ever—security updates. While Android follows a monthly cycle opposed to Apple's as-and-when, users must wait for specific updates by model, region, and carrier. Not every user gets the monthly update, with many on a quarterly or worse cycle... seamless or any form of regular all-at-once updating remains a critical missing feature for Samsung owners. This is particularly problematic given that Google exerts its influence in terms of hardware and software with Pixels, something Samsung cannot match while it remains dependent on the broader Android ecosystem."
Ignoring the gap to iPhone, at least this finally addresses one major gap with Pixel devices.
- Samsung users might be disappointed to learn that their anticipation for the Samsung S24's One UI 7 beta release before the end of the year seems unlikely.
- Samsung vs Apple fans might see this as an opportunity for Apple to take the lead, as Samsung's delays in releasing the Android 16 update for its flagship devices continue.
- Samsung's One UI 7 beta, while delayed, offers notable improvements, but without a clear release date for the stable version, users may feel let down by the lack of certainty.
- Samsung's Android 16 and One UI 7 updates are highly anticipated, but as the delay in releasing the new OS on Samsung S24 continues, Android enthusiasts may turn to Google Pixel devices for timely updates.
- In the comparison between Samsung vs Google, Google's consistent and timely updates have been a significant advantage, and the delay in Samsung's updates may push more users towards Google Pixel devices.