One of the most popular mid-range smartphones of Samsung's is no longer getting updates. The Korean giant made some changes to the security update schedule for Galaxy devices this week, downgrading some to fewer updates and removing others from the list entirely.
The removed devices include the Galaxy Tab S6/Tab S6 5G and the Galaxy A01, but the most noticeable removal is that of the Galaxy A51. Both the LTE and 5G versions of the Galaxy A51 were on a biannual update schedule till last month, but starting this month, only the 5G model will receive updates.
Galaxy A51 was Samsung's first phone to launch with Android 10
The Galaxy A51 was unique for being the first non-flagship phone from Samsung that came running the latest version of Android (Android 10) before a Galaxy S flagship. Google releases each major Android update in the second half of every year, and before the Galaxy A51, we usually had to wait for the next Galaxy S flagship to see the newest version of Android in action on a Galaxy smartphone.
That is no longer the case. Recent examples are the Galaxy A15 and Galaxy A25, which were Samsung's first phones to launch preloaded with Android 14 and hit retail shelves before the Galaxy S24 lineup. Now, Samsung only keeps minor One UI updates exclusive for launch with new flagships – .1 updates accompany Galaxy S flagships while .1.1 updates come with every new foldable.
The Galaxy S24 series brings with it One UI 6.1, though whether you can call it a minor update is debatable as it marks the debut of what Samsung is calling Galaxy AI and brings several AI-powered features along with the usual smattering of non-AI features. However, most of the AI functionality is likely to be restricted to flagship devices launched in 2023 and beyond and may not be seen even on upcoming mid-range phones like the A55.
