There used to be a time when you want to avoid Samsung if you want fast and timely Operating System (OS) upgrades on your Android devices. Android updates in the early days of Samsung’s Android affair was pushed to Samsung devices way later than other manufacturers. At some point, a Samsung device only gets its major update 6 months after the same OS update was made available from Google itself.
Today, it is a different story though. Samsung is consistently topping charts when it comes to device updates. In the world of Android as well, apart from Google, Samsung has the best track record of timely software upgrades on their devices. They also keep their devices updated and supported longer than any Android manufacturer other than Google themselves currently. There is a reason why Samsung remained at the top spot when it comes to the smartphone market.
Android 12 was just released to the wild less than two months ago. Of course, it appears first on Google’s own range of devices. Of course, the new Google Pixel 6 series launched with Android 12 as part of its package. There was also a tonne of devices that had official Android 12 Beta support, if you wanted to try them. Strangely, Samsung was not too much in a hurry to release their own Beta version of the new OS even when others made theirs available near immediately after Google’s announcement of Android 12. There is a good reason, we think.
Samsung was late to the Beta party because they were busy making sure that they can push out the full version of One UI 4.0 based on Android 12 to market as soon as possible. At least we theorised that this is the case. Prove? One UI 4.0 with Android 12 is now rolling out on Samsung Galaxy S21 devices.
Of course, the update starts in the United States (U.S.) first. That also means we, living in Malaysia, will not be getting our Android 12 updates for the Samsung Galaxy S21 devices just yet. It should not take too long for Samsung to start rolling out updates for devices in Malaysia though, so we are expecting something to happen to your Samsung Galaxy S21 devices within the coming two weeks.
If you are not on a Samsung Galaxy S21 device though, you still should not worry too much. We are a little surprised too to find out that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 will only be getting their Android 12 update in December 2021 though, after the Galaxy S21 devices. The Samsung Galaxy S20 series will be getting their Android 12 update in the same month as the foldables. Even the Note 20 series gets their Android 12 treatment in December 2021.
If you are on anything newer than the Samsung Galaxy S9 or Note9 series, you are in luck to get your Android 12 update in January 2022, at least according to the leaked roadmap. That includes your Galaxy S10 and Note10 devices. Unfortunately, the Galaxy S9 and Note9 will not be getting anymore OS upgrades in the coming future.