What you need to know
- Samsung is apparently rolling out One UI 5 based on Android 13 to the Galaxy S10 Lite.
- The update is expected to arrive in December for the three-year-old mid-range smartphone, but not for its more expensive siblings.
- One UI 5 will allegedly bypass beta testing for the device and instead be released on the stable channel.
The Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite appears to be the only model in the Galaxy S10 series that will receive One UI 5 based on Android 13. According to SamMobile, the Galaxy S10 Lite will receive the latest Android version in December. This estimate is indicated by Samsung's public release timelines for One UI 5 in Germany and Malaysia.
Unlike many of the best Samsung phones that have been updated to Android 13, though, no beta testing is expected for the mid-range device. Instead, Samsung will roll out the update on a stable channel once it's ready for general availability later this year.
SamMobile reports that the firmware is currently going through testing in Samsung's own labs. The goal is to release the update with few to no bugs.
If you're wondering why the more expensive Galaxy S10 models aren't getting updates, it's because of Samsung's software update policy, which guarantees up to three Android OS updates. Last year, the South Korean tech titan announced that its recent models, going back to the Galaxy S10 series, were eligible for this support. The Galaxy S10e, Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10+, and Galaxy S10 5G launched in 2019 with Android 9 onboard. This meant that their software updates would culminate with Android 12 (One UI 4).
On the other hand, the Galaxy S10 Lite debuted a year later with Android 10 preinstalled. Going by Samsung's update policy, it should receive up to three OS updates, with Android 13 as the final one.
Of course, the latest update will bring many new features to the mid-range model that are already available on Samsung's newer models. More customization features, stackable widgets, improved privacy and security features, and an improved lock screen are all part of this. The Bixby Text Call feature, which allows you to answer calls by typing your response and having an AI technology read it out loud to the person you're speaking with, is also included.
This update most recently arrived for the Galaxy S22 series in the United States following its rollout to European and Asian variants of the device. Expanded Material You theming features should also be in tow.
The Galaxy S22 is one of our favorite smartphones this year, and it's only getting better thanks to the new Android 13 update. The update includes numerous new features as well as revised privacy and security settings.
