Samsung announced the arrival of the One UI 6.1 update for the Galaxy Z Flip 4 in the USA. It is a major update that has a download size of around
The update brings the following Galaxy AI features to the foldable phone:
AI-Generated Wallpapers
Browsing Assist: Webpage summarization in the Samsung Internet app.
Chat Assist: Real-time language translation in the Messages app.
Circle to Search with Google
Edit Suggestions
Generative Edit: AI-powered image editing in the built-in Photo Editor.
Interpreter Mode: Real-time language translation for face-to-face interactions.
Live Translate: Live language translation during voice calls.
Note Assist: Notes summarization and auto-formatting in Samsung Notes.
Transcript Assist: Voice transcription and auto-tagging of speakers in the Voice Recorder app.
You can watch all those Galaxy AI features in our in-depth video below.
Apart from these features, there are minor One UI changes and additional customization features in the new update. If you have a Galaxy Z Flip 4 and live in the US, you can now check for the new update by opening the Settings app, navigate to Software update, and tap Download and install.
Samsung started rolling out One UI 6.1 to the company’s tablets in March with the Galaxy Tab S9 series. Now, almost one and a half months later, the South Korean tech giant is expanding the new UI to the Galaxy Tab S8 series. That’s right. Samsung has released One UI 6.1 for Galaxy Tab S8, Tab S8+, and Tab S8 Ultra.
Currently, Samsung is rolling out One UI 6.1 to the Galaxy Tab S8 series in Europe, and the company is pushing the update only to the Wi-Fi-only variants of the three tablets. The update carrying One UI 6.1 changes the firmware version of the Galaxy Tab S8, Tab S8+, and Tab S8 Ultra to X900XXU6CXE2, X800XXU6CXE2, and X700XXU6CXE2 respectively.
If you live in Europe but your Galaxy Tab S8 hasn’t notified you about the update, you can check for it manually by going to Settings » Software update » Download and install. If you don’t see an update, it means that the update hasn’t become available in your country or for your device yet and you’ll have to wait for a few more days for the update to arrive.
One UI 6.1 is based on Android 14 and it brings many new features, including Galaxy AI, which is a suite of AI-powered features that should come pretty handy to you in day-to-day usage, new image editing capabilities, and UI customization options. You can check out all the new features that One UI 6.1 offers in our video above.
The day Galaxy Z Fold 4 owners have been waiting for is finally here. Samsung has released the One UI 6.1 update to the Galaxy Z Fold 4 outside its home country, indicating that a wider rollout is now underway. The update is now available across Europe, a couple of weeks after the update was released in South Korea.
Galaxy Z Fold 4 gets One UI 6.1 update in Europe
Samsung has finally released (via @tarunvats33) the One UI 6.1 update to the Galaxy Z Fold 4 in Europe. The update has a download size of around 3.1GB and comes bearing firmware version F936BXXU6FXE3. It brings several AI features to the foldable smartphones, apart from some minor features and usability improvements. The Galaxy Z Flip 4 could also get the One UI 6.1 update soon.
The update doesn’t bring the May 2024 security patch, though, and is still on the April 2024 security patch.
You can watch all the Galaxy AI features that arrive with the One UI 6.1 update to the Galaxy Z Fold 4 in the video below. Some AI features seen in the video are not available on the Galaxy Z Fold 4.
If you live in Europe and have a Galaxy Z Fold 4, it is time to check for the One UI 6.1 update on your device. You can do that by navigating to Settings » Software update on your phone and tapping Download and install. Once the new firmware is available in our firmware database, you can download it and flash it manually using the Odin tool and a computer running Windows OS.
The day Galaxy S21 owners outside Korea have been waiting for is finally here. Samsung has released the One UI 6.1 update to the Galaxy S21 series outside its home country, indicating that a wider rollout is now underway. The update is now available in European countries, and other markets could get it soon.
Galaxy S21 gets One UI 6.1 update in Europe
Samsung has now released (via @tarunvats33) the One UI 6.1 update for the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, and Galaxy S21 Ultra across Europe. The 2.4GB update comes with firmware version G99xBXXUAGXDA and includes the April 2024 security patch rather than the May 2024 patch. It is a major update that brings some AI features and minor new features and UI changes.
If you have a Galaxy S21 series phone and live in Europe, you can now check for the One UI 6.1 update on your device by opening the Settings app, navigating to Software update, and tapping Download and install. Once the new firmware file is available in our firmware database, you can download it and flash it manually.
You can check out all the One UI 6.1’s AI features in our video below.
The May 2024 security update is now available for the Galaxy S24 series in European countries. This update comes just a day after the new update was released to the Galaxy S24 lineup in the US. Samsung released details about the May 2024 update on its security bulletin earlier this week.
Galaxy S24 gets May 2024 security update with dozens of bug fixes
Samsung has released the May 2024 security update to the Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24+, and Galaxy S24 Ultra in all European countries. The update comes bearing the firmware version S92xBXXS2AXD6, which has a download size of close to 300MB for the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24+ and over 400MB for the Galaxy S24 Ultra.
As per Samsung’s security bulletin, the May 2024 security update fixes 45 security vulnerabilities discovered in Galaxy devices. These security vulnerabilities were discovered in the previous versions of the software. Since it is just a security patch, the new update doesn’t bring any new features or performance improvements.
You can watch our Galaxy AI review in the video below. The story continues after the video.
The Galaxy S24 series was launched earlier this year, and the devices in the lineup were the first to run Android 14-based One UI 6.1. The phones promise seven major Android OS updates and security patches. They will likely receive monthly security patches for at least the next three years, after which Samsung might reduce the frequency of updates.
What’s next for Galaxy S24?
The next major software update for the Galaxy S24 series will likely be Android 15-based One UI 7.0. Samsung has already started the internal beta development of Android 15 (One UI 7.0), and the One UI 7.0 Beta Program could start in the third quarter of this year. Based on Samsung’s track record, we expect the stable version of Android 15 to be released by the end of Q3 2024 or early Q4 2024.
Before that, as per reports, the Galaxy S24 series could get a big software update that improves the camera performance and consistency.
Some say it’s always better to have more options, but it’s never as clear-cut as it sounds. This design philosophy doesn’t always work, and more importantly, it isn’t a magical shortcut that can patch everything up and always lead to a better user experience. On the contrary, if not handled properly, I believe the “more is always better” approach can sometimes harm the UX and alienate customers.
Unfortunately, Galaxy phones and tablets, or the alliance between Android and One UI, make for a good example of a somewhat confusing experience. Don’t get me wrong, I believe One UI is fantastic, but it isn’t a full-fledged OS, even if it can sometimes give off that impression thanks to the included high-quality Samsung-made apps.
However, One UI sits on top of Android OS, which means it is bound to a portion of Google’s app ecosystem. This is where I believe things can get confusing for the average consumer.
Because of the Samsung-Google alliance, Galaxy phones and tablets ship with too many duplicate apps that essentially serve the same purpose. Some examples include:
Two Messaging apps that share the same name.
Two web browsers (Samsung Internet and Google Chrome).
Two email apps (Samsung Email and Google Gmail).
Two virtual assistants (Samsung Bixby and Google Assistant).
Two app stores (Galaxy Store and Google Play).
Two Gallery apps (Samsung Gallery and Google Photos).
Two weather forecast systems.
Worse yet, Google and Samsung can’t always design user experiences together, which can lead to similar features clashing. Take this screenshot of the Google Chrome translate feature in action as an example.
When Galaxy device users highlight text they want to translate in Chrome, they’re presented with a tooltip menu containing two “Translate” options. One is Samsung’s, and the other is Google’s, but there’s no way to tell them apart unless you select them or remember which is which from previous interactions.
This is a perfect example of too many options leading to an unfriendly user experience. To the end user, it makes little difference that Samsung likely has no power over Google Chrome’s tooltip menu. Google included that option, and users have to live with it.
As for the app situation, is there anything Samsung can do to make the user experience friendlier? Is there a solution to cleaning up One UI and offering a better-curated experience rather than throwing more options in the user’s lap?
Samsung can’t ditch Google apps but could better curate the experience
In an ideal world, Samsung would have created and perfected its own mobile OS for Galaxy devices, independent of Android OS and Google. But I’m afraid that’s an unrealistic scenario.
Likewise, I doubt Samsung can exclude Google’s apps from its devices, given the co-dependency between these two tech giants.
However, there might be a simpler solution to addressing the incoherent user experience, at least, to a degree. Samsung could rethink its Galaxy device setup process to allow users to choose their default apps from the get-go.
At the moment, there’s no such option. Upon setting up a new Galaxy device, users end up with a mix of Samsung, Google, and even Microsoft apps as the default solutions. And some average consumers might not even realize that they’re using an app provided by one or the other.
Story continues after the video…
It should be noted that an option to choose your default apps already exists, but it is only accessible after the initial Galaxy device setup process — not during. And not every brand-new Galaxy device user might know that they can open the Settings app on their Galaxy phones, navigate a couple of menus, and eventually access the “Choose default apps” option for a deeper layer of customization.
All things considered, the Galaxy phone and tablet experience will probably never be rid of the app duality problem. Default app options offered by both Samsung and Google will probably always clash on Galaxy phones and tablets. A solution to fewer but well-curated options doesn’t seem possible at present.
Nevertheless, maybe Samsung could mitigate the issue by redesigning the initial Galaxy device setup process with new users in mind. It could better inform users of the choices they can make and thus remove some of the confusion that permeates the relatively disjointed Samsung-Google experience.
According to the changelog, these updates improve general software stability, and Samsung doesn’t provide any further details. For those who have installed One UI 6.1 and have been facing some issues, the only way to confirm if those issues have been fixed is to install the new update.
Fold 4 and Flip 4 owners can check for the latest update–sporting build numbers F936NKSU2FXE3 and F721NKSU2FXE3–by opening the Settings app on their phone, navigating to the Software updatemenu, and selecting Download and install.
If you haven’t already installed One UI 6.1 on your phone, be sure to read our advice on the steps you should take to make sure you don’t lose any data. Galaxy S22 owners faced boot and unlock issues with One UI 6.1 that resulted in the update being taken off the air, so it’s best to take precaution no matter which device you may be using.
The Galaxy S24 has brought good fortune to Samsung. After launching earlier this year, it has helped Samsung improve its revenue and profits. It has been revealed that Samsung’s smartphone sales have increased in the US at the expense of Google and TCL.
Sales of Galaxy smartphone sales improved in the USA in Q1 2024
Counterpoint Research’s report states that Samsung’s smartphone market share in the first quarter of this year was 31%. That’s a 14% rise compared to its numbers from Q1 2023 when the company’s market share was 27%. That rise seems to have come at the expense of Google’s and TCL’s shipments. Its market share reached a four-year-high after 2020. Despite this increase in sales, Samsung was still the second-biggest smartphone brand.
Apple was the biggest smartphone brand in the US during the quarter. It had a market share of 52%, similar to its figures from last year. That’s impressive, and it seems that the launch of the Galaxy S24 didn’t affect Apple. It is possible that iPhone users are staying with Apple and not crossing the line to Android. This is good news for Samsung, as more people are buying its high-end phones like the Galaxy S24 Ultra.
You can watch our review of the Galaxy S24 Ultra in the video below.
Overall, smartphone shipments declined by 8% during the year’s first quarter. Smartphone sales were quite good in Q1 2023 following the COVID-19 slump. Still, one good news is that people seem to favor buying pricier smartphones.
Senior Analyst Maurice Klaehne said, “A bright spot in the market was Samsung, which grew shipments YoY with the earlier launch of the S24 series. It was Samsung’s best Q1 in four years as the brand grew its market share to 31%, the highest since Q1 2020. There was strong demand from older Samsung users looking to upgrade to a new device.“
Samsung is taking longer than usual to release the latest security update for eligible devices, possibly because it was busy with One UI 6.1. The Galaxy S24, S24+, and S24 Ultra are the first Galaxy devices to get the May security update, though we should see more phones joining the party in the coming days.
Story continues after the video
The latest update for the Galaxy S24 series is available in the USA at the time of writing, with T-Mobile seemingly the first carrier to roll it out to its users. Some users complained about poorer battery life after the previous update, but it doesn’t seem like the new update brings any improvements other than the latest security fixes.
It shouldn’t be long before the Galaxy S24’s May update goes live in other countries. Once it is available in your country, you will be automatically notified, but you can also manually check for the update by opening the Settings » Software updatemenu on your phone and selecting Download and install.
The optical in-display fingerprint scanner is quick and reliable, and while there’s no headphone jack on this handset, you get a microSD card slot to expand on the base 128 GB of storage. The Galaxy A35 is IP67 water resistant, so it’ll be OK if you accidentally drop it in the pool, and it supports contactless payments—I’ve been using Google Wallet to pay for pretty much everything these past few weeks.
Problems start with the performance. The Samsung Exynos 1380 chipset inside is paired with 6 GB of RAM, and while it bested the Moto G Power 5G’s benchmark scores, my real-world testing has been noticeably laggier than Motorola’s phone, with far more stutters in daily operation. I can do everything I usually do with flagship smartphones, but apps load slowly, switching to another app can feel stuttery, and the interface can feel janky with the slowdowns.
It’s not frustrating like the Galaxy A15’s performance, just annoying. It’s not always like this; there are periods when it feels smooth and fast when I’m siloed in one app for a while (like doomscrolling on X before bed).
Battery life is also nothing to write home about. There’s a 5,000-mAh cell. With average use, I usually ended a full day with around 40 to 30 percent left. But on a few occasions, if I used it more rigorously—for GPS, music streaming, browsing Instagram, and taking pictures (around five and a half hours of screen-on time)—I’ve had to recharge it by 5 or 6 pm.
Strong Points
Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
There’s a triple-camera system on the A35, but you should stick to the main camera. It’s a 50-megapixel primary sensor joined by an 8-MP ultrawide and a 5-MP macro. Over on the front is a 13-MP sensor. Selfies look sharp—no qualms there—and I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the photos out of the main sensor.
