Google and Samsung are constantly changing Android updates. And they're making a mess of it – Samsung Magazine

Google and Samsung are fundamentally changing the traditional Android update model. Google is now releasing major Android 16 features through more frequent QPR updates, while Samsung has ditched its release schedule One UI. 
Historically, Android updates have followed a consistent rhythm: The Developer Preview arrived in early spring, followed by a public release later in the year. beta version and the public release of the system followed in late summer or early fall. However, that changed last year when Google released the first preview of Android 16 to developers on November 14, just two months after the public release of Android 15. This resulted in Android 16 live release on June 10, 2025, months before previous versions. 
Additionally, major new features like Material 3 Expressive and redesigned Quick Settings aren’t part of this initial release, but will be included in subsequent QPR (Quarterly Platform Release) updates. For example, Android 16 QPR1, which will include these major changes, isn’t scheduled to be publicly released until September. But this all really means that the timeline for getting all the new features hasn’t changed fundamentally, it’s just become totally confusing.
This shift is of course also affecting Samsung. Previously, new Android updates appeared with phones in the Galaxy S. New Android updates will now appear on phones first Galaxy Z Fold a Z Flip, starting with this year’s Galaxy Z Fold7, Z Flip7 to Z Flip7 FE, which are the first Samsung phones to ship with Android 16 out of the box/One UI 8. 
In contrast, the line Galaxy S, it starting models Galaxy S26, will get an update One UI X.5 (e.g. One UI 8.5), which is expected to have more substantial UI changes than the update that brings the new stock Android. However, these updates will still be based on the previous year’s version of Android. But for Samsung users, the most important updates are those specific to One UI, not an Android version update. 
In short, both Google and Samsung are moving away from the traditional model of one big, annual Android update and its build. Google is distributing new features through more frequent QPR updates, and Samsung is shifting its focus to its “half-year” update. One UI, which will be a greater source of change for its customers.
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