latest
Android 12 is now landing on all Samsung Galaxy S20 devices in the US
Over three weeks after the Verizon rollout began
Read update
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'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
Read update
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 September 2021 update arrives in the US for more Galaxy Z Flip users
The update is also out for several other phones including the unlocked Note10 series
Read update
Samsung started updating its international devices with the September security patch just as August came to a close. Now it's time for customers in the US to get in on the action, as the unlocked Galaxy S20 and S21 begin to receive the September 2021 security update for themselves.
Samsung's Galaxy A51 is receiving the August 2021 security patch internationally
It's also available for the Tab A7 LTE and several A series phones
Read update
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
Read update
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 July 2021 update is coming to the Galaxy S20 on Verizon
The update is also available for the Verizon Z Fold2 and S10 Lite
Read update
By this point, we know pretty well what to expect from Samsung when it comes to monthly security updates. Usually some international market will get the next month's release a little early, still in the waning days of the previous month — exactly like we just saw happen for the July release right at the end of June. And then if we're very good and patient, a few days later we start seeing the first releases start to appear for US carriers — just like what's happening right now.
Samsung's June 2021 update is now available for the T-Mobile S21 series
The T-Mobile A51 has also been updated
Read update
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.
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
Read update
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.
The Galaxy S21 and S20 FE are Amazon's doorbuster smartphone deals for Prime Day with huge discounts
Now is the time to pick up your next Galaxy phone
The Amazon Prime Day extravaganza is right on time this year, and as always, there are hundreds of deals to snag. If you’re due a smartphone upgrade, then there cannot be a better time than today as a whole bunch of Samsung phones — from the Galaxy S20 FE to the newest S21 line — are all selling at the lowest prices we’ve seen to date.Samsung’s massively successful Galaxy S20 FE is even cheaper for Prime Day, available for just 9. It’s frankly a steal for a flagship-class phone that can still last you for years. The entire Galaxy S21 series is also discounted by 0 on its usual selling price — or a full $300 down from their MSRPs ($200 for the base S21 model). Meanwhile, the more budget-conscious among us can look at the Galaxy A71 5G, which is down to a sweet $375.
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
Read update
Samsung releases a 4G Galaxy S20 FE you'll actually want to buy — if you can
No more overheating LTE Exynos 990 model, but it's only available in a few markets so far
Read update
Just a few weeks ago, rumors circulated that Samsung would be releasing a new, Qualcomm-powered, LTE-only (and potentially cheaper) version of the massively popular Galaxy S20 FE, replacing the Exynos-powered version. In short order, the new SM-G780G model has silently landed in several markets, including Vietnam and Malaysia, with product listings available in Germany and Sweden.
Samsung's April update is ready for more tablets and Galaxy A phones
Now arriving for the A52, Tab A 10.5 (2018), and Tab S7+
Read update
Samsung has put a lot of effort into improving its software reputation, and a big aspect of that change has been a renewed focus on issuing regular security updates. Over the last couple of years, Samsung has frequently managed to beat Google to the punch, and that continues even now as the Galaxy Note10, Z Fold2, and S21 have all received the April security patch, more recently followed by the Galaxy A72, Tab A 10.5 (2018), and Tab S7+.
Samsung may soon release a more affordable version of the popular Galaxy S20 FE
Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865+
The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE was one of the best phones of 2020, and it came very close to being the Android Police 2020 Readers' Choice Smartphone of the Year. While the US market only received the 5G variant of the phone, consumers in the UK, Germany, and India, among others, had the chance to pick up a 4G variant powered by the Exynos 990. In what seems to be a way of acknowledging the drawbacks of its in-house processor (and/or the dropping costs of last-gen silicon), the company is all set to unveil a 4G variant of the phone that's powered by the Snapdragon 865+.According to WinFuture, the phone will be available in a bunch of European countries and replace the prevailing Exynos variant. In fact, the phone (SM-G780G) has already been listed on the Swedish website. Apart from the fact that it won't support 5G networks, it is identical to its 5G counterpart. You'll get a 6.5-inch 120Hz OLED display, three 12MP cameras on the back, a 4,500mAh battery, IP68 certification, and support for wireless charging.If you're a sucker for details, you might be aware that OEM buyers of the Snapdragon 865 chip need to mandatorily purchase the discrete 5G X55 modem. So, how is Samsung shipping a 4G variant of a phone that uses the same chip?Even though modems support a wide variety of network frequencies, smartphone companies need to certify their devices to work on them. There's money involved in the process, and this is why it's common to see smartphone companies certify only those bands which are relevant in a particular market. For instance, the OnePlus 9 in India — where 5G networks don't exist yet — only supports two 5G bands, whereas the US variant supports a lot more. It's safe to assume that Samsung is resorting to a similar practice in this case.There's no word on when the Galaxy S20 FE 4G will be officially announced, but it shouldn't be too long now. It's expected to be available in four colors and have a sticker price of €750.
The Snapdragon Galaxy S20 FE 5G gets an aggressive introductory price in India
Owners of the Exynos model now have another reason to cry into their pillow
Read update
Like most markets outside North America, India got the Exynos variant of Samsung’s fantastic upper-mid-range Galaxy S20 FE. This model simply isn’t on par with its Snapdragon-powered sibling on several fronts, including 5G connectivity. Now, Samsung is bringing the S20 FE 5G to the Indian market right around the time OnePlus is set to drop its 9-series flagships in a similar price bracket.
Last year's Samsung Galaxy S20 Fan Edition blew us away: for $599 (it's hardly ever sold for its $699 MSRP), it offered performance nearly identical to that of phones that cost twice as much thanks to its Snapdragon 865 chipset. It was also among the first phones to offer a 120Hz display at a mid-range price. But it was released in October, which means it's coming up on six months old. So, is it still worth buying in 2021? Let's discuss.On its face, the Galaxy S20 Fan Edition is still a very good phone. Made with high-end parts where it counts, it's hardly aged — Samsung said it wanted to distill the essential experience of its flagship phones into something less expensive with the FE, and it was successful in doing that. Although it's "only" got six gigabytes of RAM, the S20 Fan Edition doesn't feel any older than any of Samsung's high-end 2020 models — it continues to handle any task you could conceivably throw at a phone with alacrity. It's even 5G-compatible, if that's something you care about.
Samsung's February security update reaches more US carrier devices
Our continuously updated Samsung security patch roundup
Samsung kickstarted its February 2021 patch rollout a bit early this time, with the European Galaxy S20 line being the first recipient. Now, these latest Android security updates are spreading to the US, starting with the unlocked Galaxy S20 models and the Note20 Ultra, and more recently followed by a couple of older and budget devices on AT&T and Verizon.
Samsung resumes Galaxy S20 FE One UI 3.1 update distribution
The update was pulled shortly after its initial release
Read update
Since older Galaxy flagships received One UI 3.0 only recently, we weren't exactly expecting Samsung to also push the Galaxy S21’s newer 3.1 build to those phones anytime soon. However, the company decided to give its existing customers a pleasant surprise by giving the rollout an early kick-start. Right now the Galaxy S20 FE is already getting its One UI 3.1 update, leaving behind its more premium siblings from last year.
Samsung's bringing some Galaxy S21 features to older phones with a software update
One UI 3.1 won't make your S20 into an S21, but you will get some of its features starting tonight
Samsung has just announced that it's officially bringing its Android 11-based One UI 3.1 software to older devices. Initially exclusive to the S21 series, this wider rollout includes the Galaxy S20 series, S10, Note10, Note20 series, Z Fold2, and Z Flip series, as well as some A-series phones. Better, that also means some features from the Galaxy S21 are trickling down to older devices with it, and the rollout starts tonight.
Should Galaxy S20 Fan Edition owners upgrade to the Galaxy S21?
Even with Samsung's generous trade-in values, the S21 is more of a side-grade
The Galaxy S20 Fan Edition was one of the best smartphones of 2020, as it included most of the features of Samsung's more expensive phones at a lower $700 (or 0, or $550) price point. It clearly served as inspiration for the newer Galaxy S21 series, as the phone has the same plastic casing and flat display as the Fan Edition.
Unlocked, T-Mobile, and Verizon Galaxy S20 FE now receiving Android 11-based One UI 3 update
Get 'em while they're hot!
Android 11 is slowly starting to make its way to Samsung phones on US carriers, with the Verizon Galaxy S20 FE being the latest recipient. The update started hitting global S20 FE variants around a month ago, making its way stateside last week on the AT&T model. Now, it's Big Red's turn to send the OTA out.