Looking ahead: When is One UI 4.1 coming and what will it bring?

One UI 4.0 is now available for the Galaxy S21 series, and the same Android 12-based update is slowly but certainly approaching its debut for other Galaxy devices. Samsung has prepared a half a year roadmap for One UI 4.0, with dozens of smartphones and tablets waiting in line. By then, however, many Samsung customers will be rooting for the release of the next update, which should be called One UI 4.1.

Although One UI 4.0 is as fresh as firmware gets, the shine won't last long. Samsung's been quiet about the next firmware update, given that the company's working hard to bring One UI 4.0 to more phones, but if history is any indication, then the Galaxy S22 should be the first to ship with an updated One UI version, i.e., One UI 4.1.

SamMobile confirmed that Samsung will launch the Galaxy S22 in February, which means that One UI 4.1 should debut on the same day as the flagship series. It should then reach other devices gradually, and the majority of future Galaxy phones that will go on sale after the Galaxy S22 should also run One UI 4.1 out of the box.

What should we expect from One UI 4.1?

It's too early to tell what features One UI 4.1 will introduce exactly, but the update will follow a major release, so it's only natural to assume that it won't make massive changes. If anything, One UI 4.1 will be to One UI 4.0 what One UI 3.1 was to One UI 3.0. The latter brought more camera features, the Object Eraser, better privacy with options to remove location data from photos upon sharing, video call background effects, and closer integration with certain Google apps and services like Google Duo.

Similarly, One UI 4.1 could add some polish to One UI 4.0 once it debuts with the Galaxy S22 series in February. We're hoping for things like better virtual RAM management, better wallpaper-based color theme integration with Google apps, and more.

Samsung hasn't said much about what comes after One UI 4.0, so there's always the possibility that the next update will take everyone by surprise with a new approach. But judging by Samsung's usual way of doing things, One UI 4.1 should be coming in the next few months and should be a refinement over One UI 4.0 with not too many additional features but a more polished user experience overall.

The Galaxy S21, Galaxy S20, Galaxy Note 20, Galaxy Z Fold 3, and Galaxy Z Flip 3 should be amongst the first phones to get One UI 4.1 through a firmware update once the Galaxy S22 series goes on sale.

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