Today we want to take a very early look at the unconfirmed but inevitable Samsung Galaxy Android O update and release.
Currently, Galaxy smartphone and tablet users are focused on the Android 7.0 Nougat update and the problems it causes. And for good reason.
The Samsung Galaxy Android Nougat update is starting to make significant headway in the United States and other countries around the world.
While your focus is and probably should be on Android Nougat, there’s another piece of Android software lurking above the ground.
This update is Android O, the unnamed successor to Google’s Android Nougat (formerly Android N) update.
The Android O update has been confirmed and is available in beta form for Pixel devices and select Nexus devices. We expect Google to outline the next set of details in May as its annual developer event, Google I/O.
Android Nougat is currently in focus but Android O and its release will slowly but surely get into the minds of many Galaxy users around the world. Maybe it’s already yours.
Today, we want to help you set realistic expectations for the Samsung Galaxy Android O update and its release.
These prospects are not intended for advanced users. Instead, we want to help set appropriate expectations for new and average Samsung Galaxy smartphone and tablet owners. We also want to inform potential Galaxy smartphone and tablet buyers.
Nothing has been confirmed, but there are a few things we can expect from Samsung’s version of Android O, based on Android Nougat for Galaxy devices around the world.
Samsung Galaxy Android O Beta
Pixel and Nexus users can access the Android O update right now, well before its official release date later this year. Samsung Galaxy users can expect something similar on the way.
Samsung last year Galaxy S7 Nougat launches beta This allowed owners in certain regions with certain versions of the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge to try the software in advance. Samsung also Android Marshmallow beta ran On the Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge and Galaxy Note 5 in 2015.
These betas confirmed features and tweaks, and also provided Samsung with valuable feedback on bugs and other issues.
It will likely take some time for the company to confirm its plans, but we expect Samsung to launch an Android O beta for its flagship devices, a list that currently includes the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+.
The company is said to be working on a Samsung Galaxy Note 8 for release this year, and we expect it to make the cut as well. Samsung probably would have released a Nougat beta for the Galaxy Note 7 if it hadn’t started booming.
If you want to be one of the first to try Samsung’s next major OS upgrade, you’ll want to consider getting one of Samsung’s high-end devices.
Galaxy Flagships Will Get Android O First
Unlike Apple and Google, there is a hierarchy when it comes to Samsung Android software versions.
Apple’s iOS updates are sent to all compatible devices at the same time. Google’s Android updates usually do this too.
Samsung’s launch process takes much longer, and it’s often a painfully long wait for those with non-flagship smartphones and tablets.
Samsung’s Android 7.0 Nougat update is starting to move a little faster, but it’s been a long and long process.
The first updates started rolling out to the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge in January (Google first released Nougat in August), and we’re finally starting to see other popular devices like the Galaxy S6, Galaxy Note 5, and Galaxy Tab S2. It crashes into Android Nougat. The company still has a long way to go.
Many Galaxy smartphones and tablets have not received Android Nougat, and many users will be waiting for the upgrade in the second half of the year.
It’s impossible to predict how Android O will go, but if we use Nougat as an indicator, most of you will probably get Android O in 2018.
If you want new software as soon as possible, you’ll probably want to invest in a device like the Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S8, not a mid-range phone like the Galaxy J3.
Some Devices Probably Won’t Get Android O
If you have a Galaxy smartphone or tablet that is two years old or older, start preparing for a life without Android O.
Samsung and its carrier partners typically keep Galaxy devices up to date for two years before cutting support for major software upgrades.
Popular devices like the Galaxy S5 and Galaxy Note 4 still receive security updates and bug fixes, but neither device is expected to receive Nougat.
Unless Samsung surprises it (and it might), Android Nougat could be the end of the line for popular phones like the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy Note 5.
Unlocked Galaxy S7 and Galaxy Active
The Samsung Galaxy S7 Android Nougat update started rolling out in January, but unlocked Galaxy S7 users had to wait much longer than in January for them to upgrade to Nougat.
Samsung has delayed the unlocked Galaxy S7 Nougat update to April. Even though the update is rolling out to the Galaxy S7 Edge right now, many unlocked Galaxy S7 users are still waiting for them to upgrade to Android 7.0.
It’s unclear if this app will extend to the unlocked Galaxy S8 and Android O, but it’s something you’ll want to keep in mind if you already have an unlocked model or are considering purchasing one in the future.
While Samsung is looking for the Nougat version for unlocked Galaxy users, the company has released Galaxy Active Nougat updates in a timely manner.
Galaxy Active devices used to be behind the curve.
Samsung started rolling out the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge Nougat updates in February. The Galaxy S6 Active Marshmallow update wasn’t released until July.
This year, the Galaxy S7 Active and Galaxy S6 Active Nougat updates are included in the upgrades of the more popular models.
Samsung has not yet confirmed but It looks like AT&T will launch a Galaxy S8 Active some time later this year.
If slow updates have taken you away from the Galaxy S7 Active or Galaxy S6 Active, keep in mind that the Galaxy S8 Active may not get that treatment from Samsung and Android O.
Missing Features
Those are just a few things we think you can expect from Samsung’s version of Android O. Now we want to talk about something you can expect from the Samsung Android O update.
The Android O update is currently in beta, which means a lot can (and probably will) change between now and Google’s official release this year.
It’s hard to predict what features and changes Samsung might keep, and what might be different in the Android O version.
What we can say though is that older devices are getting the short end of the bar, where you can expect Samsung’s Android O updates to differ from one another.
Much like Apple’s iOS updates, newer devices tend to get more robust software. Take the Galaxy Android Nougat update for example.
Samsung has kept the Galaxy S7’s Always On Display feature back from the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy Note 5. It also declined to offer Nougat’s Video enhancer feature.
We expect the Samsung Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+ and Galaxy Note 8 (if any) to receive the best versions of Android O.
Sure, there will be ways to get the best of Android O on older devices, but not everyone wants to go through a bunch of hoops to get them together.
Support our work ❤️
If you enjoyed this article, consider leaving a tip to help us keep publishing great content.
