Summary
- The Samsung Galaxy S25 series will offer seamless updates like Google Pixel devices, providing a smoother software update process.
- This feature was initially expected to debut with the Galaxy S23 in early 2023.
- The mid-range Galaxy A55 is the first Samsung phone to support seamless updates, although the device is not widely available.
Although flagships made by Samsung and Google may have some similarities in terms of hardware, the software update experience couldn’t be more different. Google Pixel owners can benefit from what’s called seamless, or A/B, system updates, allowing you to use the device even when an update is being installed. In contrast, installing a software update on a Samsung Galaxy phone is a much longer process, with the phone virtually out of commission throughout the process. We recently heard that Samsung is set to change that with the Galaxy S25 next month, and now we’re getting more confirmation on that front.
Related
It only took Samsung 8 years to add this handy Android feature.
Samsung appears to have added support for seamless updates on the Galaxy A55
According to the “leaked files” allegedly seen by Android AuthorityThe Galaxy S25 Ultra will offer seamless updates, allowing users to take advantage of a feature that Pixel users have enjoyed for at least eight years when it debuted with Android Nougat.
It is speculated that the Galaxy S25 and S25+ will also get System A/B updates, as a leak suggests. chunvn8888 last month. We also receive confirmation from Android Authority that the Galaxy S25 Ultra will be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite, which is now an open secret.
The Galaxy S25 won’t be Samsung’s first phone to support seamless updates
The Samsung Galaxy A55
Although the Galaxy S25 series will take a big step forward by including System A/B updates, it is not the first Samsung smartphone to support it. That honor goes to the Galaxy A55, which launched earlier this year as a mid-range device in select markets except the US.
Still, buyers of Samsung’s next flagship series will have one more feature to look forward to, although I’m sure owners of existing Galaxy devices would feel like Samsung waited too long to introduce this feature.
It was initially thought that A/B updates would debut with the Galaxy S23 after Google made virtual A/B partitions mandatory with Android 13. However, it didn’t work, with Samsung opting not to implement it with the Galaxy S24 earlier this year.
The good news is that we won’t have to wait long to see the Galaxy S25 series in action. The company is expected to unveil the flagship trio on January 22, 2025, with retail availability expected to begin on February 7.
