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Samsung's January 2024 update spreads to new devices, including the Galaxy S23 FE
The Galaxy Tab S7 series is being updated worldwide
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We're only a few weeks into 2024, and Samsung is already kicking off its first round of software updates. As noted by SamMobile, the January security patch is starting with the international Galaxy Z Flip 4 in Europe and should contain the usual bug fixes and optimizations.
Check this new tracker to see if your phone will get the next Android update
Website tracks both major manufacturers and up-and-coming brands
Some Android OEMs, like Samsung and Google, proudly advertise support timetables as a selling point for their flagship phones. But for many of the best budget phones, it can be difficult to predict if you'll receive the next Android update, given that the timeline is often speculative. Depending on factors such as when you purchased your phone, you might even already have its final version. Now, a detailed chart has been developed to give Android phone owners insight into whether their device will be eligible for the next update.
Back in the day, installing an OTA update on a Pixel meant downtime of at least 10 to 15 minutes as the device would boot into recovery mode and restart a couple of times during the process. The introduction of Seamless Updates with Android 7.0 Nougat changed that, and Google has been tweaking the update mechanism ever since. Thanks to these (yet-to-be-officially-mandated) improvements, your Pixel now installs a software update in the background on a secondary virtual system partition and switches to it with a reboot, reducing the total downtime to just a few minutes. But the fact that an install can take as long as 20 minutes still remains the biggest hurdle to tackle. A new set of patches submitted to the Android Open Source Project gerrit indicates that Google wants to change that.
Samsung brings its November 2022 patch to Galaxy S22 and Z Flip 4 phones in the US
Samsung's second-last set of patches for 2022 are hitting Galaxy phones across America
Samsung has built a solid reputation for regular and reliable software updates over the last few years, and that's continuing now as the November 2022 security patch reaches devices in the US. Samsung's latest flagship phones, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4, were the first to kick off this round of updates at the beginning of the month, quickly followed by last year's foldables and the Verizon Note 10.
OnePlus 10T gets its first software update ahead of OxygenOS 13
The update comes only a week after the phone's launch in India
The OnePlus 10T won't reach US shores until late September, while it will be available in the UK and several other markets on August 25. By contrast, OnePlus' new T-branded flagship went up for sale on August 6 in India, a key market for the manufacturer. Well, OnePlus 10T users in the region can now download the device's first software update, featuring the customary bug fixes and some minor improvements.
US wireless carriers should get real with customers about software updates
We're actually losing information about these updates
Wireless carriers like to brag about two things: their network and their deals. Something you won't often hear about is software updates. They were supposed to be easier than ever for Android device makers to deploy thanks to Project Treble framework, but when the phone is a model specific to an American carrier, it'll have to be sent to the carrier for extra checks before it gets passed along to the consumer. But you do get the feeling sometimes that the telcos just don't care, especially when major security patches from January only make it to your device in May. So, what gives?
Nearby Share now lets you move files across all your Android devices hassle-free
It's part of the Google System Update for May
A much-vaunted tweak to Android's Nearby Share feature has arrived as the star addition to the Google System Update for May.
When will my phone be updated to Android 12?
2021's Android upgrade is slowly coming to more devices every month
We're well into the age of Android 12 and if you own any of the devices that have already been updated, you can count yourself lucky. For the rest of us with relatively new phones, there's only one question: when will I get it? We've dug for the answers, all you need to do is click through to find them out.
How to use ADB or Flash Tool to manually install Google Pixel updates
You have plenty of choices if you don't want to wait it out
Google releases monthly system updates for Pixel devices with updated security patches to help keep your device safe. These updates can also include new features and critical bug fixes, providing you with the best possible user experience. You don't have to sit and wait for the update to install itself, either; you can also do it manually. Check out the guide below to learn more about all the different ways you can install the monthly system update for your Pixel device.
Whether you want the latest features or to keep your phone secure (or both!), software updates are crucial. Samsung's shaping up to be an industry leader when it comes to update support — but how do you actually, you know, update your Samsung phone? Read on to find out.
You can now make 911 calls directly from Skype
Microsoft seems to have learned its lesson from the Teams disaster
Microsoft-owned Skype is out with a new app update on all of its platforms and it includes one feature that a few Android users might need to be wary about: emergency calling. Yes, the thing that Skype warned you not to do with Skype.
Android 12L beta 3 now available on Pixel phones — here's how to get it
Pixel 6 phones get their first taste of 12L
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With the Pixel 6 series now eligible to enter the Android Beta Program, it's the perfect time for Google to release the third Android 12L beta. If you've got a Pixel 3a or later and are enrolled in the program, you should see the over-the-air update coming right now.
Samsung leapfrogs Google by announcing 4-year Android OS upgrade commitment
More of this from everyone else, please
Samsung leaned into becoming more eco-friendly through the use of recycled ocean-polluting plastics in its manufacturing and pushing device ownership for longer by extending software support. Today, just as we suspected, it's taken the step of boosting its commitments for several Android phones and tablets by an extra year, meaning it will bring four One UI/Android OS upgrades and five years of security patches.
Oppo's unified OS now rumored to skip OnePlus 10 Pro
OxygenOS sticks around for another year, at least in name
Recent changes at OnePlus and its parent Oppo have made it clear that consolidation is the name of the game going forward. That includes the intent of combining OxygenOS and ColorOS Android skins into a new, unified user interface. But there's new intelligence implying that we won't see its debut as soon as we first thought.
Android 12 is now landing on all Samsung Galaxy S20 devices in the US
Over three weeks after the Verizon rollout began
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Samsung has been aggressive in rolling out One UI 4.0 (and, as such, Android 12) to its phones and the Galaxy S20 series of devices have been no exception. A beta program rolled out in November while the stable, global OTA came just before the new year. Now, it's live for all US-based S20 devices, regardless of carrier.
Samsung seems to be adopting a new strategy for software updates in Europe
Sideloading One UI builds might become much easier
Samsung's software updates have been much better over the last few years, with both its speed and longevity rapidly improving. As great as that is, there's still one part of the company's update process that remains incredibly frustrating: region fragmentation. Right now, a Galaxy S21 sold in the UK has a different software version from an S21 sold elsewhere in Europe, even though the hardware is the same. Thankfully, Samsung could be looking to change that.
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Is the Google Tensor SoC to blame for the Pixel 6’s software issues and update delays?
Signs point to yes
Google’s Pixel 6 is a triumph, delivering the company’s first in-house chipset. But it’s also falling behind, with multiple updates skipped or delayed, one pulled, and betas for Android 12L missing entirely. It’s not just a matter of bugs — though we’ve been keeping track. Digging through drivers and details, speaking to developers, there’s no smoking gun. But all signs point to the Pixel 6’s biggest strength also being its biggest issue: Tensor.
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Over the course of the next several months, Samsung will be delivering Android 12 to a massive horde of phones and tablets around the world through the vessel of One UI 4. There's a lot to like about the refresh from the OS-level wallpaper-based dynamic theming and performance boosts that smooth over issues like crashes in multi-window mode. But the big question is: when will your device get the update?
How to install OxygenOS 12 on your OnePlus 9 (and why you maybe shouldn't)
For those who need it, here's some help
After suffering through an embarrassing recall, OxygenOS 12 (based on Android 12) is finally back for the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro. But is the right call to install it on your device? We're going to tell you how you can get the new update and why you might not want to.
2017's Samsung Galaxy S8 receives a surprise software update just weeks from 2022
But it comes from Verizon, so we have some questions
The Galaxy S8 and S8+ were pretty great phones for their time, but that time is long over now... or is it? Some long-haul owners are now getting a new software update for the device and we have some questions about it.