Every year, Samsung releases one big and two minor One UI updates. The minor ones come out with Samsung's flagship smartphones and foldables around six months apart and are smaller than the big One UI updates that accompany each new version of Android, both in download size and the number of new features.
With One UI 6.1, however, Samsung has flipped the script. The One UI 6.1 update has started rolling out to some Galaxy smartphones and is a 3GB download, which makes it as large as Android 14 and One UI 6.0 combined and around a gigabyte larger than the One UI 5.1 update.
Since the One UI 6.1 update brings the Galaxy AI experience to some Samsung smartphones and tablets, it's not too far off from the Android 14-based One UI 6.0 update as far as the number of new features is concerned, either.
In fact, Android and One UI updates have become less exciting in general, as mobile operating systems have matured over the years and there isn't a lot Google or Samsung can do to make these updates feel like the huge events they used to be few years ago.
But, thanks to AI, One UI is exciting once again. One UI 6.1 will probably be an exception as we're not expecting Samsung to keep coming up with new ideas that are as game-changing and unique as Galaxy AI every year, but we'll take what we can get.
Unfortunately, only the Galaxy S23 series, Galaxy S23 FE, Galaxy Z Fold 5, Galaxy Z Flip 5, and the Galaxy Tab S9 series are eligible for Galaxy AI. Samsung hasn't completely ruled out bringing it to older flagships, but it's not a certainty at this time.
