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The $1,200 Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra still downloads updates like it's 2008
Samsung's flagship smartphones lack seamless updates, yet again
Back in 2020, Google made a change to its Android 11 Vendor Test Suite (VTS), requiring all smartphones launching with Android 11 and above to support seamless updates. However, the company ultimately backtracked on its decision and left it as an optional feature. Nevertheless, while phones from the likes of Google, OnePlus, and Motorola have long supported seamless updates, for some reason Samsung has been resistant to use it on even its most premium smartphones. The latest on that list is the newly-launched Galaxy S22 lineup, comprised of the Galaxy S22, S22+, and the $1,200 S22 Ultra.
The February patch is a do-or-die moment for the Pixel 6
The Pixel 6 deserves good updates, but will it get them?
Google released the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro late last year, and most of the Android faithful were delighted by Google's latest attempt. The Pixels had great initial quality, but as usual, the bugs caused widespread discontent. However, instead of fixing things, Google just broke them more with a botched December update. The January update appears to have smoothed over the rough edges, but what about next month? The Pixel 6 might not look so hot if Google can't roll out patches with some level of consistency. That's why the next round is so important.
Android 11 for the Nvidia Shield is breaking apps and Plex servers
Scoped storage is probably to blame, but there's a partial fix
Nvidia released the first Shield Android TV boxes back in 2015, and it's still updating them in 2022. The various generations of Shield just recently saw an update to Android 11, but owners have reported numerous apps, including the device's built-in Plex server, have stopped functioning. Nvidia is still working on a patch for the software, but you can (probably) get it fixed now if you're impatient.
Android 12 just came out a few months back, and the Android Beta Program would usually be quiet this time of year. Not in 2022, though. This year, Google is prepping another Android release known as Android 12L. The second beta rolled out today (January 12), and Esper's Mishaal Rahman has dug in to identify a handful of user-facing changes.
Samsung finally brings eSIM support to Galaxy Note20 and Note20 Ultra phones on Verizon
Following a similar update on T-Mobile earlier this year
Earlier this year, Samsung finally started to add support for eSIMs in the US, following in the footsteps of Apple and Google. The company kicked off its lineup with a software update for the Note20 series on T-Mobile, but it's been quiet ever since. A new patch is coming to Note20 phones on Verizon, bringing eSIM capabilities to another platform.
Samsung's got no more security updates planned for the Galaxy Note8
And there's new update schedules for some Galaxy A, M, and Tab models
The Samsung Galaxy Note8 had an excellent run. After the colossal exploding battery disaster that the Note7 represented in 2016, Samsung was looking for something that was good enough to not only clean up the Note brand but also become a sales success — and Samsung delivered. But all good things must come to an end, and for the Galaxy Note8, that time has come. It has officially reached end of life.
The OnePlus 6 and 6T at long last are getting Android 11 — on the eve of Android 12's release
Better late than never, hope it isn't buggy
Well, that didn't take long. Just two days after its third beta release, a stable version of OxygenOS 11 is ready for the OnePlus 6 and 6T. It's been a long road for both of these devices — Android 11 is nearly a year old — but if you've been holding your breath for an update, you can finally exhale.
OnePlus 8T's latest beta might just fix that esoteric glitch that's been hounding you
Face unlock and Work-Life Balance both get some issues ironed out
Depending on your region, OnePlus just started delivering an all-new update to 8T owners yesterday. It's a slight improvement, primarily intended to fix some non-specific bugs on NA and EU variants. If you're part of OnePlus's beta program, you haven't been left out of the upgrade fun, as Open Beta 7 is now available for your device.
OxygenOS 10.3.12 for the OnePlus 6 and 6T includes July's security patch and not much else
The wait for Android 11 on these phones continues
While we're all waiting on the eventual launch of Android 12 later this year, OnePlus is continuing to upgrade its older phones to Android 11. The OnePlus 6 and 6T got a taste of an updated lifestyle with the first open beta for OxygenOS 11 a couple of weeks ago, but if you're still waiting for an official stable update, the company hasn't forgotten about you. Both phones are getting their first new software versions in nearly two months.
ZenFone 8 software support is off to a surprisingly great start
Asus has included a 'new' Android security patch with this feature-packed update
The new ZenFone 8 comes closest to the mini Android flagship we've been longing for, even though it’s nothing like its big brother with its radical flipping camera mechanism. Both 2021 ZenFone flagships are barely a week old, but the company has already released a big software update, which comes with a slew of new features and general improvements.
Nokia delays Android 11 for most of its phones
You might be waiting a while for a new software update
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- Nokia has now officially revealed the Android 11 update timeline, and it appears to be identical to the previous leak. The Nokia 8.3, 2.2, 5.3, and 8.1 will be first in line for the upgrade, and the rest of the company's supported lineup will have to wait until 2021.
HMD Global's Nokia phones come with some of the cleanest Android builds around, but that still doesn't make the company the fastest to update its devices. Despite a roadmap shared with users last year, some of the phones slated for Android 11 still haven't received new software versions. To better reflect when updates might actually be ready, Nokia has expanded its roadmap up to Q3 and added a couple of new devices onto its list.
Vivo promises three years of Android updates, but only for certain phones
Meanwhile, Oppo flagships will get one extra year of security patches
Android smartphone makers are only now starting to catch up to Apple’s excellent software support. Samsung was among the first major players to commit to three years of OS updates last year (many now get four years of security updates as well), and several more brands have since made similar promises. The latest to join the list is OnePlus sister company Vivo, but its update policy isn’t as expansive as Samsung’s.
The OnePlus 6 and 6T probably won't get Android 11 until August at the soonest
And that's just for the Open Beta
OnePlus isn't the nimble startup it used to be, and its update policy has taken a turn for the worse in the last couple of years, especially for phones that aren't the latest flagships anymore. After months of radio silence, the company has finally confirmed when Android 11 will hit the OnePlus 6 and the 6T — but it's further out than you'd hope.
While T-Mobile has the latest Samsung and OnePlus smartphones on offer, it also sells its own brand of REVVL handsets that are aimed at the budget segment. One of these phones, the REVVL 4+, has now received the Android 11 update.
The OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro pick up their first update before they even ship
Aiming for a bug-free launch next week
OnePlus's newest pair of phones won't be available to the public until next Thursday, which gives the company plenty of time to squash some bugs in their software. Both the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro are getting updates in advance of their official arrival in hopes of making each device a little more stable.
The lone big promoter of Google’s Android One program, Nokia, made big promises about timely device updates, but it’s been falling behind on those commitments for its flagship. However, that doesn’t mean it’s leaving its entry-level and budget phones in the lurch. The two-year-old Nokia 3.2 is receiving its Android 11 update as planned.
Here's yet more proof that Samsung is getting serious about updates
No more ambiguity on how often certain devices will get security updates
Samsung has managed to surprise its staunchest skeptics by becoming exceptionally agile with software updates of late. Not only has it kept its promise of delivering Android 11 to its devices, but it's also showcased its commitment by offering four years of security updates for most of its devices launched from 2019 onward. Further straightening up its act, Samsung is now removing some ambiguity around how often a few of its devices will get security updates.
Second OxygenOS 11 beta adds always-on display to OnePlus 7 Pro and 7T Pro
Sadly, the non-Pro OnePlus 7 and 7T miss out on the long-awaited feature
After a bit of a hold-up, the OnePlus 7 and 7T series finally picked up their first OxygenOS 11 betas around mid-January. While the update included a host of nifty features, including the 8T’s spruced-up interface, one notable thing it left out was the always-on display function. Thankfully, the second beta adds that missing feature but with an unfortunate caveat — it's limited to the Pro models.
ASUS finally has a software fix for phones losing HD Netflix support
The company previously asked owners to send in their units to get the fix
Some folks using the new ASUS ROG Phone 3 are having issues playing back HD content in certain apps like Netflix. The cause, as some of our more savvy readers might expect, is an issue with Android's Widevine DRM system, with some phone owners reporting that their L1 Widevine state has been lost, relegating them to standard definition playback. ASUS has now fixed the problem with a software update after initially asking customers to send in their phones to get back HD playback.
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- Verizon has become the first US carrier to send out the Android 11 update to the Galaxy Z Fold2. The update comes with the December 2020 patch and carries version number F916USQU1CTLL. We already have a commenter from earlier today who says that the update's reached his Verizon Fold2, so it's definitely live.
As Samsung promised in its international update timeline, the Galaxy Z Fold2 has just started receiving Android 11 this month. The update includes the latest version of One UI, 3.0, and the most recent Android security patch from January 2021, as SamMobile reports.