More bad news for Samsung flagship owners
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Updated on November 24 as Samsung’s Android 15 beta speculation continues, just as Google reveals the likely Android 16 release timetable for 2025.
Samsung has just warned its users that “the global cost of cybercrime is expected to surge in the next four years,” which, it says, means “it is critical to use a device that benefits from an ecosystem of protective measures—such as security updates.” This makes its latest decision all the more surprising, given it leaves users at risk.
Samsung’s warning came by way of a surprising update on its secretive cyber task force. “The Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) task force,” it suddenly revealed,” is a reconnaissance unit within Samsung Project Infinity along with the Red (RED), Blue (BLUE) and Purple (PURPLE) Teams that go beyond lab conditions to identify real-world dangers.” These teams “perform proactive attack and defense functions, seeking out vulnerabilities and taking measures against them.”
If only there was an easier way. Well, Google has embarked on its own long-term mission to make Android safer and more secure, narrowing the gap to iPhone. And in that regard, Android 15 is a game-changer. Whether it’s theft protection or cellular network defense or AI-powered live threat detection to try to stop such “real world dangers” as soon as they exhibit malicious behaviors on a device.
Millions of Pixel owners are now enjoying most of these benefits, and as reported by GSMArena, even Samsung’s “Chinese competitors are busy issuing stable Android 15 updates left and right [while] Samsung is lagging behind—badly.”
The timetable for the long-delayed Samsung deployment of Android 15 has now seemingly leaked—again, and it’s bad news for all current flagship users. While S24 users may get the beta next month (country-dependent, of course), S23 and S22 users will see further delays and S21 users may not get anything at all. As for the stable release, we know that’s not coming until next year to coincide with the S25.
If you’ve just splurged $1500 or more on an S24, the fact you’re already waiting behind future S25 owners in the queue for the already released Android 15 might cut a little close. But Samsung has made it clear that “that One UI 7 will launch on the S25 family and won’t be on any other device before it arrives.”
As ever none of these dates are confirmed, and so as SamMobile cautions, take it all with a pinch of salt. But Samsung does need to get something out soon, especially as the timetable is becoming more compressed, with the earlier than usual Android 16 development schedule starting to make headlines of its own.
Meanwhile, Samsung’s secretive security unit update is worth a read—now that it has been more openly exposed. It adds a spicy dimension, highlighting the work in the background to tackle threats at source. “CTI also studies threat actors to decipher their behavioral patterns. Understanding their motivations and objectives can help reveal their attack methods and provide insights for fortification.”
On the subject of Android 16 and what will (eventually) be One UI 8, specialist website SammyFans has just summed up the situation for Samsung owners. “Instead of looking forward to One UI 8 (which will be based on Android 16), we are all now waiting for One UI 7, which has been delayed several times.”
One UI 7, it says, will bring material improvements to Galaxy devices, albeit Samsung has yet to confirm whats’s likely in and out of the stable release in 2025. But the security updates SammyFans highlights include: “Theft Detection Lock—Uses AI to automatically lock the phone; Private Space—Allows users to lock sensitive apps in a separate area; Privacy and Security—Includes better passkey support and app archiving for third-party app stores.” Again, let’s hope all make it through.
Galaxy users will naturally fear the One UI 7 / Android 15 delays will roll forward and impact One UI 8. “While we are on the subject of delays, let’s talk about Android 16,” SammyFans says. “Google is shifting to a new strategy of releasing Android updates more frequently, aiming for a major release in Q2 and a minor release in Q4 of each year. The first Developer Preview of Android 16 was released on November 20, 2024. The Android 16 will achieve platform stability in late Q1 2025, with the final release expected in Q2 2025.” All of which will become a very compressed timeline for Samsung given these Android 15 delays, hard to know what we can expect.
As Android Central comments, “it feels like this dance won’t end. Samsung is rumored to have delayed its major OS upgrade beta once again… The beta is suspected to run for ~2 months with a full rollout potentially occurring in February.”
