Last year, Samsung promised to release up to four generations of Android OS upgrades for its recent Galaxy smartphones, ranging from the Galaxy S22 series to the Galaxy S21 FE and Galaxy Tab S8 lineup. For the Galaxy S20 series, it meant that Android 13 would be its final update, as it was supposed to receive three OS upgrades. The South Korean tech giant appears to be cooking up some surprises for Galaxy S20 owners, as Samsung has been spotted testing a major version of One UI 5 for the 2020 flagship lineup.
According to SamMobile, the company is internally testing One UI 5.1 on the Galaxy S20 series, which comes as a pleasant surprise. The lineup received stable One UI 5 builds based on Android 13 last November, and it was supposed to mark the end of the support cycle for the phone.
If the report is accurate, this means users are sure to get more out of this legacy device down the line with an extra year of new features and security updates. It will also be a win for broader sustainability efforts because extending the phone’s usable life effectively keeps it out of electronics landfills.
The outlet notes that the update offers firmware version G980FXXUFHWA1, with the letter H denoting that this is a major update instead of an iterative improvement. The as-yet-unannounced update is reportedly being tested on the Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra.
A few weeks ago, Samsung was spotted testing One UI 5.1 just as it was nearing the home stretch of the Galaxy S23 announcement. However, details about this upcoming update are scarce for the time being, but more lock screen customization options won’t hurt.
While the promise of new Android OS upgrades for many of the best Samsung phones should make you kick up your heels, a few variations are to be expected. When it announced the four-year software commitment, the company noted that features coming to older phones might vary by device model and market. Regardless, it’s still nice to see Samsung treating Galaxy S20 owners to another wave of One UI goodies in the future.