For the longest time, Samsung has given its Galaxy S-series of flagship phones priority when it comes to One UI updates. However, the company could be changing that in the future. According to tipster UniverseIce, Samsung could prioritize its foldables when it comes to getting the latest Android updates.
Samsung shifts its One UI update priority to foldables
According to the tipster, here’s how Samsung will give priority to the One UI update for its foldables. “It will receive major One UI version updates aligned with Google’s Android releases. For example, One UI 8 will be based on Android 16, and One UI 9 will sync with Android 17.”
We’ve already seen this in action. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 were the first Samsung foldable phones to launch with One UI 8 out of the box. If the tipster is correct, it means that next year’s foldables will launch with Android 17 and One UI 9 out of the box.
But this doesn’t mean that Samsung is forsaking its Galaxy S-series. UniverseIce claims that the updates the Galaxy S-series receives will be more “substantial”. “It will receive updates to the One UI X.5 version. However, the actual update content will be more substantial than the Fold series, including new UI/UX designs, AI features, and software enhancements. The S series remains the flagship priority, and since the development timeline from Fold to the next S series is longer, updates are more refined.”
This means that Samsung’s foldables will be the first to receive the major Android update. While the Galaxy S-series will get theirs later, it might be worth the wait as it will come with additional features. It’s an interesting shift in priorities, but it aligns with Google’s new Android release schedule.
Google’s shift in Android releases
Prior to Android 16, Google usually releases its major Android updates towards the later part of the year. However, Google decided to shake things up by bringing forward its update release schedule. Instead of being released towards the end of the year, major Android updates will now be released in the middle of the year.
Google says this will give OEMs more time to prepare the update for their devices. In this case, it worked out nicely for Samsung.
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