Tag: Seamless Updates

  • Samsung Galaxy S25 Introduces Seamless Updates for Flagship Phones

    Samsung Galaxy S25 Introduces Seamless Updates for Flagship Phones

    The Samsung Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25 Plus, and Galaxy S25 Ultra (currently priced at $1,299.99 on Amazon) can now be ordered worldwide, after being revealed yesterday during Samsung’s latest Galaxy Unpacked event. Interestingly, the three models are available for pre-order with discounts of up to $300 off their standard retail prices, but this offer is only valid until February 6.

    Incremental Improvements

    As we highlighted in our launch articles, the Galaxy S25 lineup signifies another small advancement for the Galaxy S series compared to last year’s models. For instance, Samsung has finally introduced Seamless Update support to its flagship smartphone range.

    Notable Changes

    While Samsung hasn’t directly referenced this update in their promotional content, Mishaal Rahman confirmed the presence of A/B partitioning features in the Galaxy S25 series during the Galaxy Unpacked event. This marks a departure from all earlier Galaxy S models. It’s curious that Samsung first rolled out Seamless Updates to One UI with the Galaxy A55 last year, without including any other tablets or smartphone releases until now.

    How Seamless Updates Work

    Seamless Updates, also referred to as A/B partitioning and now Virtual A/B partitioning, shortens the time needed to install updates by downloading Android updates onto a second partition. When the device is rebooted, this partition becomes the active boot partition. This feature also allows users to switch back to a functioning partition if something goes wrong during the update.

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    Samsung Galaxy S25 Introduces Seamless Updates for Flagship Phones
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  • Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Flip 6 Lack Android Seamless Update Support

    Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Flip 6 Lack Android Seamless Update Support

    Samsung's latest foldable flagships, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6, come with impressive specs and innovative features like on-device generative AI. Nonetheless, these premium devices seem to lack a feature that has become increasingly common on Android phones: seamless updates.

    Introduced by Google almost a decade ago, seamless updates allow Android phones to download and install updates in the background, minimizing downtime. Users can continue using their phones uninterrupted while the update installs on a separate system partition.

    Traditional vs. Seamless Updates

    In contrast, traditional updates require a full reboot, locking users out of their devices for several minutes. While this might not be a dealbreaker for everyone, seamless updates offer a smoother experience, especially for those who frequently update their phones with security patches.

    Samsung’s Galaxy A55, released earlier in 2024, was the first Samsung phone to adopt seamless updates, raising hopes that this feature would become standard across the company’s lineup. However, initial tests by SamMobile using developer tools suggest the Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6 lack this support.

    The Challenge of Seamless Updates

    Missing seamless updates from the factory likely means it won’t be added later. Implementing seamless updates requires a dual-partition system layout, and modifying this on existing devices can lead to stability issues – a risk Samsung likely won’t take.

    The culprit behind this omission might be software size. Flagship Galaxy devices tend to have bloated software compared to mid-range counterparts.

    The A55’s firmware reportedly weighs in at around 8GB, while the Z Fold 5 and S24 Ultra have firmware sizes of 14GB and 16GB, respectively. This additional software may simply not leave enough space for a dedicated update partition on the Fold 6 and Flip 6.

    A Commitment to Updates

    With a commitment to seven years of software updates, users can expect numerous firmware downloads for the Z Fold 6 and Flip 6. While these updates will bring security patches and bug fixes, they will unfortunately require the traditional reboot process, interrupting use for a few minutes each time.

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  • Eliminate Downtime: Samsung Galaxy A55 5G Ensures Smooth Android Updates

    Eliminate Downtime: Samsung Galaxy A55 5G Ensures Smooth Android Updates

    Software updates have traditionally posed a significant challenge for Android devices, but Google has been striving to enhance this aspect by offering more frequent updates and introducing features like seamless updates to enhance user experience. Despite these efforts, the adoption of seamless updates by major manufacturers has been sluggish. The tide seems to be turning with the arrival of the Samsung Galaxy A55 5G, marking Samsung's inaugural device supporting this feature.

    Samsung Galaxy A55 5G Introduces Seamless Updates

    For those unfamiliar, seamless updates represent a technology introduced by Google alongside Android 13. This innovation allows significant Android updates to be seamlessly installed in the background on a distinct system partition. Following completion, users undergo a swift reboot to transition to the updated partition, minimizing any operational downtime.

    Now, the embrace of this capability is expanding. Notably, the Samsung Galaxy A55 5G has emerged as the foremost Samsung device to incorporate the "Seamless Updates" feature. This enhancement permits A55 5G users to effortlessly download and install updates in the background, with the changes taking effect upon the phone's restart. Consequently, the waiting period associated with downloads has been eradicated. Regrettably, details regarding the timeline and regions for the availability of this feature on Galaxy A55 5G devices remain undisclosed.

    Future Prospects for Samsung's Seamless Updates

    The introduction of seamless updates on the Galaxy A55 5G likely signifies just the beginning of Samsung's deployment of this functionality. Anticipations are high for its integration into numerous forthcoming Samsung models, possibly including the Galaxy S24 series. Nevertheless, if you possess an older phone, it may not support this feature. Those intrigued by its utilization should verify the eligibility of their Samsung devices concerning the latest Android version.

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