Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Update Problems – Why I Hate Them
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Samsung’s Seamless Update Journey: From Resistance to Reality
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Samsung avoided Android’s seamless updates for nearly a decade, even as most of the industry moved on. Then, out of nowhere, it finally embraced the feature last year… only to make it available on exactly one phone in 2024: the Galaxy A55.
It wasn’t until 2025 that seamless updates became standard on Samsung’s flagships, starting with the Galaxy S25 series. And that’s why my daily driver, the Galaxy S24 Ultra feels incomplete every time an update drops, especially after using the Galaxy S25 Ultra and still relying on it to test leaked One UI 8.5 firmware.
If you’ve used a phone with seamless updates, you know how hard it is indeed to go back.Updates install in the background while you continue using the device, and a speedy reboot finishes the process.That’s it. No downtime, no progress screen, and no “optimizing apps” message.
Once you experience seamless updates, there’s no going back
On the S24 Ultra, every update reminds me that this convenience doesn’t exist. I have to stop what I’m doing, reboot the phone, and wait for everything to install. It’s not the end of the world, but it is a step backwards.The S24 Ultra is still…
the history of Samsung’s Resistance
For years, Samsung lagged behind competitors like Google and OnePlus in adopting seamless updates. Several factors likely contributed to this. Early Android versions presented challenges for implementing seamless updates on Samsung’s heavily customized One UI. Concerns about potential instability and the complexity of managing updates across a vast portfolio of devices also played a role. Samsung prioritized other features and optimizations, seemingly deeming seamless updates less critical. This decision frustrated manny users who experienced the convenience offered by other brands.
How Seamless Updates Work
Seamless updates, also known as A/B system updates, utilize two system partitions. While the phone is running on one partition, the update is downloaded and installed on the other. Once complete, a simple reboot switches the active partition, resulting in a near-instantaneous update experience.This contrasts with conventional updates, which require a full system reboot and can take a significant amount of time to complete.
Impact on Users: A Comparison
| Feature | Traditional Updates (e.g., S24 Ultra) | Seamless Updates (e.g., S25 Ultra) |
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