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Samsung's latest foldables are getting the September 2021 security patch internationally
The September patch is also available for a plethora of phones and tablets including the S21 series
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Samsung is staying true to tradition this week as it releases the September 2021 security patch before any other company, in some cases before August had even finished. This update includes a new version of One UI for the Galaxy Z Flip and Z Flip 5G, bringing features from the new Z Flip3 to the older devices internationally.
Samsung's August 2021 update arrives for the Galaxy S10 series and the Galaxy S20 on T-Mobile
Just in time for September's update
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Every month Samsung continues to impress with its commitment to timely security updates. Right now, the August 2021 security patch is rolling out to a number of high-profile Galaxy phones in the US, less than a week behind international models.So far the update is available for the Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra on all three major carriers, as well as the unlocked S20 and Note20 series and several A-series phones. It contains the usual bug fixes and security improvements. We'll keep this post updated as other phones receive the August patch.
Samsung's July patch is rolling out to the international Galaxy Tab S6 Lite — here are all the updated devices
The update is also available for a number of A-series phones
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Samsung has consistently been ahead of the curve with security updates this year, and that continues now as the July 2021 patch hits the Galaxy devices series internationally. As the month rolls on, we're seeing it hit more and more devices.
Samsung's June 2021 update is now available for the T-Mobile S21 series
The T-Mobile A51 has also been updated
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We might be facing the heat of July, but Samsung's June patch is still coming to a number of phones. Over the last two weeks, it's reached several devices in the US, including the Galaxy S21 and S10 series, the A10e, the A52, and more.
Should you buy the Galaxy A51 in 2021?
Short answer: no, long answer: maybe, if you get a killer deal
The Galaxy A51 is Samsung's middle-of-the-road smartphone for 2020. It's now 2021, so is it still worth a second look? In short, we think the answer is probably not — unless you're getting a particularly compelling discount. With its successor the Galaxy A52 now available (though tough to find), the A51 simply lacks the kind of premium features you'd expect of a $400 smartphone right now, even if your options might be limited at the moment.
Samsung's One UI 3.1 update reaches the Galaxy A50 and A51 in the US — here's the complete list of devices
The update is also hitting the Sprint Tab S6 and several budget phones
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One UI 3.1 has been rolling out to older Galaxy devices quickly in the last few months. Despite only being an incremental upgrade over 3.0, it carries over several useful features from the Galaxy S21 to its older siblings. Over the last few weeks, One UI 3.1 has arrived for several mid-range devices and some T-Mobile variants.
Samsung's May 2021 security patch comes to more phones on AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon — here's the complete list
Now arriving for the Galaxy S9 on AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon
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Samsung was ahead of the curve again this month when it released the May 2021 security patch for the international Galaxy S21 before anyone else. That continues now as several devices on T-Mobile receive the same update, even as the June security patch arrives for several devices.
Samsung rolls out April patch to more US carrier phones and tablets — here's the complete list
Our up-to-date list of all Samsung phones on the April patch in the US
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Samsung's May 2021 update arrives for the Galaxy Tab S6, Note8, and more — here's the full list
Bringing improved Quick Share to more flagships
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Samsung has been trying to improve its image in software lately, especially when it comes to security updates for Android devices. What better way than to release an update several days early? That's the case with the May security update, which is already rolling out to several devices, with new features coming to select flagships.
The March security patch is arriving for more Samsung devices in the US — here is the list so far
The unlocked Note20 and several T-Mobile devices are the latest to receive the update
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Samsung started updating some of its international devices to the March security patch last week, and now distribution is reaching unlocked devices in the US. As well as improvements to security, the update includes One UI 3.1, bringing with it a plethora of new features from the Galaxy S21 series to older phones.
Galaxy A51 5G, A71 5G, M30s, and M31s receive Android 11 update with One UI 3.0
The January security patch is also included
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Samsung has set a good pace for updating its flagship smartphones to Android 11, and now after a brief beta that kicked off in December, the update has expanded to reach several of the company's mid-range phones. Updates are rolling out way ahead of the roadmap Samsung shared back in December, and are now starting to come to the Galaxy A51 5G, A71 5G, M30s, and M31s.
Samsung December patch now reaching Tab S6, Tab S4, and S8 Active
Our continuously updated roundup of all Samsung phones getting the December patch in the US
A bunch of Galaxy phone users got a bit of a head start on the December 2020 security patch when Samsung released the update two weeks ahead of schedule. While that update was meant for some international beta users testing out One UI 3.0, Samsung kick-started the stable rollout of the latest patch in the US at the beginning of the month. The first device to get bumped to the December 2020 level was Verizon’s Galaxy S20 FE, most recently followed by the Tab S6, Tab S4, and the S8 Active.
Samsung opens One UI 3 beta program for its Galaxy A and M phones
The budget Galaxy A51 5G and M31 are leading the pack
Samsung has so far kept up with its rollout schedule as almost all its recent flagships have already received (or have started to receive) the latest Android 11 update. One UI 3 builds are now trickling down to the cheaper Galaxy A and M series, starting with the Galaxy A51 5G and the M31. Samsung has now opened its beta program for these two phones, and those in eligible markets can already sign up for it.
Samsung's timeline for international One UI 3.0 updates gets rolling with the Galaxy S20
Here's when you can expect the update to enter your Galaxy
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December 2020
Verizon 5G Nationwide is now available on select LG devices
The update started rolling out to some Samsung devices last week
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Earlier this month, we learned that Verizon was beginning to roll out access to its low-band 5G network. Dubbed "5G Nationwide," the expanded connectivity is now rolling out to a number of 5G-capable devices, including phones from LG like the crazy new Wing device.
One UI 2.5 starts rolling out to the Galaxy Note9, S9, A71, and A51
Following broader availability for the S10 and Note10 lines
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- One UI 2.5 is now rolling out to to Exynos-powered Note10 and Note10+ models (SM-N970F and SM-N975F, respectively) in Germany, per XDA. The 5G variant of the Note10+ (SM-N976B) is receiving the update in Switzerland. As with the S10 updates, these Note10 updates include the September security patch.
The One UI 2.5 software made its debut a couple of weeks ago alongside the Galaxy Note20, Z Flip 5G, and Tab S7 lineup. It's already made its way to the Galaxy S20, and now it's the older Galaxy S10's turn. The unlocked model in Germany is up first, and it includes a ton of new stuff.
Samsung Galaxy A72 could be its first with five-camera array
Five times the lenses doesn't mean five times the quality
Samsung's Galaxy A series is one of its best-selling, thanks in part to the "flagship feel" without the flagship price. The A71 is incredibly popular, bearing a close resemblance to the S20 series and its impressive spec sheet. It seems as though its successor, the A72, will have even more to offer thanks to a penta-camera setup, making it the first Samsung smartphone to boast that many rear sensors.
Battle of the budget phones: Google Pixel 4a vs Samsung Galaxy A51
Two sub-$400 phones enter, only one leaves
The budget smartphone market in the United States is typically underwhelming, but 2020 has turned it (among many other things) upside down. Samsung released the Galaxy A51 earlier this year, packing decent hardware and a massive screen into a sub-$400 phone, and Google just started selling its best budget phone yet.There are plenty of options for a budget Android phone this year, but for this article, we'll be pitting the ~$400 Galaxy A51 and the $350 Pixel 4a against each other. Which phone is the best bang for your buck? Which offers the best software experience? We'll evaluate both devices and give you the pros and cons of each.
Samsung Galaxy A51 5G on sale at AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon
The Galaxy A71 5G is available unlocked
If you took a look at this month's Unpacked announcements and found yourself sweating at how expensive those phones are, Samsung wants you to know that it's got you covered with 5G phones that don't break the bank. We actually saw a 4G version of the Galaxy A51 come out a few months ago with the promise of a 5G version later on in the summer. Well, that time has come.T-Mobile customers were first to be able to buy a Galaxy A51 5G on August 7 for $504. Metro by T-Mobile got the phone at some point, too, for $500. Verizon received a special version that will work on its millimeter wave or Ultra Wideband network on August 13 for the limited-time promotional price $360 on a 24-month installment plan — it's also available on Samsung.com as well for its full retail price of $550. AT&T and AT&T Prepaid round out the list with availability from August 21 with the postpaid operation offering a promotional price of $150 on a 30-month device installment plan.For context, the 4G A51 has an MSRP of $400.This is basically a Galaxy A51 with 5G radios — that means the same 6.5" 2400 x 1080 AMOLED display with an optical fingerprint sensor beneath the screen, a selfie camera right at the top of it, and four cameras (led by a 48MP unit) at the back. A couple of differences here come in the memory with RAM going up from 4GB on the 4G phone to 6GB here and microSD capacity jumping from 512GB to 1TB, though the 128GB internal storage remains the same.
Samsung's new AltZLife features for A71 and A51 are 'the ultimate private mode'
Probably india-only, though
Samsung is launching a new "Made for India" feature (or set of features) called AltZLife, that lets you switch between two different phone profiles — including duplicated apps that can be associated with different accounts — with a quick and simple double-press of the power button, called Quick Switch. A new on-device AI feature named Content Suggestions will also recommend when certain images might be better moved into your private gallery in the Secure Folder. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)