New Samsung Update Spells End For Millions Of Galaxy Phones
The rollout started in March with the S24 series, Galaxy Z Fold6 and Z Flip 6 and has been making its way to older flagships, stopping at the S21. While the update brings new AI features to millions of Samsung devices, it also represents the final Android update for the Galaxy S21 series.
Almost all flagship devices released before 2024 are eligible for four major Android OS updates, compared to the seven updates for flagships released after 2024 (the Galaxy S24 and S25 series). The Galaxy S21's four years are now up, just like its predecessor, the Galaxy S20, which lost all support this year.
The 2021 Galaxy phone will continue to receive security patches. But it was recently downgraded from monthly to quarterly updates, which is a clear sign that the end is nigh. Being downgraded to quarterly updates has put a 12-month clock on Galaxy handsets in the past. The Galaxy S9 and S10 followed this path.
I would guess that your Galaxy S21 will be dropped from updates this time next year, although Samsung has been known to issue a stay of execution to some devices randomly. I wouldn't rely on this, though. Now is the time to upgrade, not just because of the update situation, but also because the Galaxy S21 still fetches a high trade-in price at Samsung.
In recent sales, the Korean company has valued the Galaxy S21 Ultra at $300, rising to $600 when buying the Galaxy Z Fold 6. The best time to sell your Galaxy S21 was likely at some point in 2024, before it moved into its final update year. The Galaxy S22 Ultra, for example, is valued at $500.
Samsung is racing to get AI into as many hands as possible. Despite the public's reservation about how useful these features are, with some suing Apple over its Apple Intelligence ability claims, the Korean company has extended a version of AI to cheaper and older devices. Galaxy A models received their own, watered down, 'awesome intelligence' update in April. While the Galaxy S21 has received a handful of new AI-powered abilities via Circle To Search last year.
One UI 7 brings tools like AI Select, Writing Assist, Drawing Assist, and deeper Google Gemini integration to eligible phones. But the Galaxy S21 series won't get any Galaxy AI features, Samsung tells me. Over on Reddit, some Galaxy S21 owners who received the early update have confirmed that the AI tools can't be found. With the Galaxy S21 in the sunset of its lifecycle, that is unlikely to change.
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