Samsung's Android Update—What Galaxy Owners Must Do Now
By Zak Doffman, Contributor to Forbes
Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights.
Zak Doffman writes about security, surveillance and privacy. Here's what Galaxy owners must do
Samsung will be delighted to put its One UI 7 rollout in the rearview mirror, and now seems to be accelerating its upgrade process after months of delays and frustrations. In addition to a raft of feature updates, the new OS brings major security and privacy improvements from both Google and Samsung, and a new, Apple-like ecosystem.
But for Galaxy owners eager to jump straight into the new update, there's a crucial step they must take first:
"The essential practice of downloading app updates that you should perform after completing the installation."
This won't come as a surprise — but it's easy to overlook as your phone reboots. Most of these updates will be around alignment with the new OS to ensure a seamless, bug-free experience.
However, there are also security updates and patches that you need. "A new OS update incorporates security patches and better data protection, which also improves user data stored within the app."
But while updating third-party apps is fairly obvious, you also need to update stock Google apps on your phone and, just as critically, the background Play and other services that run your phone need to be updated.
Updating Apps: A Step-by-Step Guide
Here's how to update your apps:
- Open both Google's and Samsung's stores and check for updates.
- Update third-party apps as needed.
- Update stock Google apps on your phone, including Play Store and other essential services.
- Be cautious of the recent background update that's causing controversy: Google's SafetyCore app. This was installed across Android's ecosystem without notification or warning.
The SafetyCore app provides a content scanning capability that is run on-device and doesn't share data with Google or anyone else. Its first live application is scanning images for nudity within Google Messages, whether those are being sent or received. It's on by default for minors and off for adults.
You can find details on disabling this photo scanning and uninstalling SafetyCore here. Be sure to check regularly if you decide you don't want it on your phone, as it may be reinstated with future Play Services updates.
What's Next for Samsung Galaxy Owners?
Just as you finally get Android 15, its successor Android 16 has reached Beta 4. This is due for a stable release in the summer, likely July, and the question now is how much longer will Samsung owners wait behind Pixels for the upgrade.
If you have a Galaxy S25, you should certainly expect a fast update. That has now become critical.