Robert Triggs / Android Authority
TL;DR
- From leaked files, we can independently corroborate that the Galaxy S25 series will support seamless updates, allowing for the background installation of system updates.
- Seamless updates eliminate the need to wait for updates to install, saving users from downtime and reducing frustration.
Android Nougat 7.1 introduced seamless updates back in 2016, but Samsung has continued to resist this feature. Thanks to seamless updates, users can install system firmware updates in the background and apply them on a reboot, saving them from a lengthy downtime where their phone is unusable. Samsung jumped on the seamless update bandwagon only this year with a Galaxy A55 update, and the feature was expected to reach other devices. We can now independently corroborate that the Galaxy S25 series will come with support for seamless updates.
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Last month, leaker chunvn8888 had claimed that the Galaxy S25 series would support seamless A/B updates. We’ve spotted some leaked files from the Galaxy S25 Ultra and can independently corroborate that it does indeed support seamless A/B updates. The same is likely true for the Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25 Plus.
Seamless updates work using two sets of partitions: slot A and slot B. The system runs from one slot while the other remains unused as a fallback. System updates are installed to this fallback slot, and a reboot changes the active slot to this updated fallback slot and boots right away.
Thus, users aren’t interrupted in their usage and spend less time staring at an “Update is installing” or “Optimizing apps” boot screen. If the update fails to install properly, a working copy of the system is still available in the original slot for the phone to boot back into. The downside is that this requires more storage than non-A/B update systems, but given the progress in the size of internal storage on phones, it’s not that big of a deal on flagships.
Beyond seamless updates, we can also independently confirm that the Galaxy S25 Ultra (SM-S938) comes with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC (SM8750, codename “pakala”).
Are you excited about seamless updates finally coming to Galaxy flagships? Let us know in the comments below!
