Samsung is saying goodbye to the iconic Galaxy S20 Ultra and the feeling is bittersweet

India Today

21-04-2025

Samsung has officially pulled the plug on software support for the Galaxy S20 series, including the mighty Galaxy S20 Ultra. As of April 2025, the once-iconic flagship will no longer receive Android updates, security patches or any other software enhancements. The final major Android version it received was Android 13, and the last security update rolled out was in March 2025. And while this move was expected -- Samsung promised four years of OS and five years of security updates -- it still feels like the end of an era.advertisementThe Galaxy S20 Ultra wasn't just another phone. It was the first true statement from Samsung that things were about to change -- drastically.Back in early 2020, Samsung made a big announcement: it would be merging the Note and S-series, two of its most premium smartphone lines. The Galaxy S20 Ultra was the first device to embody that vision. It wasn't marketed as a Note, but for all practical purposes, it was one. Big, bold and packed with every possible feature, it marked the beginning of Samsung's new flagship philosophy -- one that continues to shape the company's Ultra phones even today.
With the Galaxy S20 Ultra, Samsung introduced the 'Ultra' tag, and in doing so, kicked off a new era of maximalist smartphones. From a 108-megapixel camera to 10x optical zoom, the specs were audacious. At launch, it was unlike anything on the market. It wasn't just about numbers either -- the Ultra delivered where it mattered, especially for mobile photography enthusiasts.advertisementBefore this, 'Ultra' in Samsung's dictionary meant something entirely different. In fact, in 2006, Samsung launched the Ultra Edition line -- phones that were ultra-slim and minimalistic. The standout was the X820, famously called the world's thinnest phone at just 6.9mm back then. The Galaxy S20 Ultra, though, was quite the opposite -- chunky, heavy, and unapologetically large.With a 6.9-inch display, the S20 Ultra felt almost like a tablet in your hand. In our quick review five years ago, we pointed out that it was 'slightly too big for a phone,' and that still rings true today. But it had an audience -- especially among loyal Note users who preferred larger screens and stylus support. The Ultra series was Samsung's way of ensuring that those users weren't left behind.It's worth remembering that the Galaxy S20 Ultra also set the tone for several trends we now take for granted in flagship smartphones. First, it laid the foundation for smartphones with top-tier camera systems. Today, we see phones from Oppo, Vivo, Xiaomi, and Motorola flaunting 'Ultra' or 'Pro' tags and boasting multi-camera setups with high megapixel counts. That trend arguably started with the S20 Ultra.It also played a role in normalising expensive flagship smartphones. At launch, the Galaxy S20 Ultra cost Rs 97,999 -- a figure that raised quite a few eyebrows back in 2020. We had noted in our Galaxy S20 Ultra review: 'As a package, the Galaxy S20 Ultra has everything and more you'd need from a phone. It has the looks, the gorgeous display, massive footprint, powerful cameras, and more. However, all this comes at a hefty price.' In contrast, its competition then -- the OnePlus 8 Pro and Mi 10 -- offered many similar features at significantly lower prices. Yet, the S20 Ultra held its ground and, over time, phones touching the Rs 1 lakh mark have become increasingly common.advertisementAnother noteworthy shift with the S20 Ultra was Samsung's chip strategy. Historically, Samsung shipped its flagships with Qualcomm Snapdragon processors in the US and Exynos chips in markets like India and Europe. But with the S20 Ultra, even some US units shipped with the Exynos 990. It marked a period when Samsung seemed determined to prove its in-house chips could match or even outperform Qualcomm's offerings. While that particular decision didn't age well — the Exynos 990 drew criticism for underwhelming performance and thermal issues — it was a bold move nonetheless.advertisementSince the S20 Ultra, Samsung has refined the Ultra line with every iteration. From the S21 Ultra to the latest S25 Ultra, there have been tangible improvements in display quality, camera performance, battery life and S Pen integration. But in many ways, the core design has remained largely unchanged. The massive slab-like build, the stylus-friendly approach, and the triple or quad-camera setup — it all started with the S20 Ultra.Which is why the end of software support feels like a formal farewell — the moment we acknowledge that the Galaxy S20 Ultra has reached the end of its journey. But it also deserves a moment of celebration. It was a device that changed the way we look at Android flagships. It challenged conventions, sparked design trends, and proved that there's always space at the top for one phone to redefine the rest.Today, as Samsung continues to push the boundaries with foldables and AI-powered features, it's easy to forget how we got here. But a look back at the Galaxy S20 Ultra is a reminder that innovation doesn't always mean radical reinvention — sometimes, it's just about perfecting the extremes. The S20 Ultra may no longer be supported, but it has certainly earned its place in the hall of fame of Android flagships. And if you ask me, that legacy is built to last.