Samsung's Galaxy S21 Series Update Frequency Reduced: From Monthly to Quarterly, but One UI 7 Update Still Coming

Samsung's Galaxy S21 Series Update Frequency Reduced: From Monthly to Quarterly, but One UI 7 Update Still ComingSamsung's seven-year update support plan for the Galaxy S25 series, including monthly security updates, has garnered significant attention. However, four years after its release, the Galaxy S21 series (S21, S21 Plus, and S21 Ultra) is seeing a slowdown in updates, transitioning from monthly security updates to quarterly updates

Samsung's Galaxy S21 Series Update Frequency Reduced: From Monthly to Quarterly, but One UI 7 Update Still Coming

Samsung's seven-year update support plan for the Galaxy S25 series, including monthly security updates, has garnered significant attention. However, four years after its release, the Galaxy S21 series (S21, S21 Plus, and S21 Ultra) is seeing a slowdown in updates, transitioning from monthly security updates to quarterly updates.

This change was explicitly stated in a Samsung security update announcement categorizing device updates into monthly, quarterly, and bi-annual frequencies. These firmware updates include Google's Android security patches and Samsung's own security patches. The Galaxy S21 series will no longer receive monthly security updates.

Despite the reduced frequency, Samsung remains committed to delivering the One UI 7 major update to the Galaxy S21 series, fulfilling its promise of four years of OS upgrades made at the launch of the Android 11-based devices. One UI 7 will offer a refreshed user interface and may include features similar to those found in the latest flagship Galaxy S25 series, such as Galaxy AI, enhancing user experience. This will be the last major system update for the Galaxy S21 series.

It's important to note that not all Galaxy S21 devices are affected. The Galaxy S21 FE, released later in 2021, continues to receive monthly security updates. This discrepancy is likely due to its market positioning and sales strategy.

Furthermore, Samsung specified other devices continuing to receive monthly security updates. This includes the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G, Galaxy Z Flip3 5G, Galaxy Z Fold4, Galaxy Z Flip4, Galaxy Z Fold5, Galaxy Z Flip5, Galaxy Z Fold6, Galaxy Z Flip6, Galaxy W23, Galaxy W23 Flip, Galaxy W24, Galaxy W24 Flip, Galaxy W25, Galaxy W25 Flip, Galaxy Z Fold Special Edition, and enterprise versions of the Galaxy A53 5G and later. These encompass Samsung's foldable series and select high-end models, reflecting Samsung's focus on premium users and emerging technologies.

Subsequent S-series models, from the S22 series to the latest Galaxy S25 series, will continue to receive monthly security updates, demonstrating Samsung's commitment to its newest flagships. This highlights Samsung's update strategy being tailored to product lifecycle and market positioning, resulting in varying update frequencies across different series and models.

While the Galaxy S21 series update frequency has been reduced, it's expected to receive security updates until early 2026. However, a future major Android OS update is unlikely. This expectation is based on Samsung's past update practices and market trends, prompting users to consider upgrading to newer devices for continued comprehensive security support. This means the Galaxy S21 series will primarily rely on security patches for future device security, lacking new OS features and performance optimizations.

In summary, the adjustment to the Samsung Galaxy S21 series update frequency reflects Samsung's strategy of balancing resource allocation and user experience. While existing Galaxy S21 users will still receive security updates and the One UI 7 major update, the change signals the end of the series' lifecycle. Users may need to consider upgrading for longer-term software support and security. Samsung's update strategy serves as a benchmark for other Android manufacturers, demonstrating the ongoing challenge of balancing cost and user experience. The differing update frequencies also reflect the intensity of market competition and manufacturers' varying strategies for different product lines. Understanding these policies empowers consumers to make more informed purchasing decisions.