NEWS
Bye-Bye Monthly Updates: Galaxy S21 series phone shift to Quarterly plan
Samsung recently released its February 2025 software update details, and there’s a big change for the Galaxy S21 series. Starting in February 2025, Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, and Galaxy S21 Ultra phones will no longer receive monthly security updates, Instead, they will now get updates quarterly update plan.
This means that users of these phones will now receive software updates every three months instead of every month.
The Korean tech giant has recently announced its revised update schedule for its Galaxy devices with February 2025, which places the Galaxy S21 5G, Galaxy S21+ 5G, and Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G in the Monthly Updates to Quarterly update category.
Apart from this, Samsung has also included the recently launched Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25+, and Galaxy S25 Ultra in the monthly security update plan. Also, Galaxy M05 and Galaxy F05 are also listed in the quarterly security update plan. Read more…
Launched in 2021, the Galaxy S21 series phone came with Android 11 pre-installed. Since then, it has received three major Android updates and will receive its last major Android OS upgrade (Android 15). After that, the device will no longer be eligible for additional major Android OS updates. Users will still receive security updates, which will now be delivered every three months.
If you are using the Galaxy S21 series and are thinking of buying a new phone, it might be a good idea to check out the latest models of the Samsung Galaxy S25 series. The company introduced the Galaxy S25 series including the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25+, and Galaxy S25 Ultra at Galaxy Unpacked 2025 on January 22. These phones come pre-installed with Android 15-based One UI 7.0. Pre-orders started the same day and the first sale is scheduled for February 7.
The Galaxy S21 series will receive security updates every three months instead of every month. If you want to stay up to date with the latest security and new features, you may want to consider upgrading to a new Samsung Galaxy device.
Samsung has begun rolling out the One UI 8 Watch update for the Galaxy Watch 4, Galaxy Watch 4 Classic, and Galaxy Watch 5 LTE. The One UI 8 Watch update is based on the Wear OS 6.
Note that the stable One UI 8 Watch update is currently available only to Galaxy Watch 4 users in South Korea. The company has not yet provided a timeline for when this update will be available in the global market.
However, the Galaxy Watch 5 LTE is already receiving the One UI 8 Watch update in India. Given the pace of the One UI 8 update rollout, it shouldn’t be long before it becomes widely available.
Galaxy Watch 4, Watch 4 Classic, and Galaxy Watch 5 LTE users can identify the latest software via the PDA build version ending with JYK4 and DYK4, respectively. The firmware also carries the October 2025 security patch. The stable update unlocks even better performance, power efficiency, and stability.
One UI 8 Watch brings a completely new tile system that improves accessibility. This update also optimizes overall performance and battery efficiency with app updates. You can look forward to a whole new world of smartwatch ventures.
To download the update, check for software updates. Your watch may already have an OTA update pending for your approval. Press the download and install button.
Samsung recently rolled out the latest One UI 8.5 beta build for the latest Galaxy flagship smartphones. The new One UI 8.5 beta version brings some changes and improvements, giving users an early taste of the new software. Additionally, One UI 8.5 includes a redesigned YouTube card for the Now Brief.
With One UI 8, the “YouTube card” in the “Now Brief” recommendation for watching show videos vertically as a list can only show two videos.
Now, with One UI 8.5, the YouTube card in “Now Brief,” which shows recommendations horizontally in a carousel that you can swipe through, now shows up to ten videos, along with larger feature images for each video.
If YouTube videos aren’t showing on your Now Brief feed, you can navigate to and open Settings, then tap Galaxy AI, and then tap Now Brief. Then, tap Content to include and enable the YouTube switch. When you’re finished, tap Back.
Earlier this week, Samsung launched the One UI 8.5 beta program for the Galaxy S25 series. Soon, the company may expand the beta program to phones in the Galaxy Z lineup and older Galaxy S series devices.
The One UI 8.5 beta update makes Galaxy AI image creation easier, improves device connectivity, improves Smart Quick Share, lock screen, and weather tools, enhances Samsung Health insights, strengthens security, enhances battery management, improves accessibility, adds upgrade reminders, and more.
NEWS
Galaxy Z Flip 7, Fold 7 models receive December 2025 security update, next could be One UI 8.5 Beta
Samsung has released a new update for the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Galaxy Z Fold 7 smartphones, which installs the December 2025 security patch update to improve system security and stability. According to reports, the update is already live for users in Korea, and the company will soon release it in other countries as well.
The December 2025 security update for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 smartphones has arrived with One UI build versions F966NKSS6AYKE and F766NKSS6AYKE. This is an initial rollout, so it may take a few hours or days to reach all models.
The December 2025 security patch fixes 57 security vulnerabilities present in the previous version of the OS.
Notably, this update is based on Android 16 and One UI 8. And the device is eligible for One UI 8.5 beta based on Android 16. On December 08, Samsung opened the beta program for the next version of One UI 8.5 only to the Galaxy S25 series. Plus, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and the Galaxy Z Flip 7 will be the next devices in line.
Although the exact release date hasn’t been revealed yet, it’s expected to be released sometime in December 2025. The company plans to begin the stable rollout of One UI 8.5 with the Galaxy S26 series next year. More users will receive the update shortly afterward.
So, if you are using the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and the Galaxy Z Flip 7 smartphone, install the latest security update now to make your device ready for future updates. The next update could be One UI 8.5 Beta.
To manually check for security updates, go to your phone’s settings. At the bottom, you’ll find the Software Update section; simply open it. In the submenu, if your device receives a new OTA update, you’ll need to tap the Download and Install button.
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