The Samsung Galaxy A55 Marks Samsung Finally Adopting Seamless Updates
In 2016, Android introduced a cool software feature called Seamless Updates. This feature allowed your phone to install a software update while the device was still on and usable, instead of needing to switch it off and wait. Pretty much every Android manufacturer jumped on this brilliant feature, with the very notable exception of Samsung.
However, we take to the streets to rejoice today, as it finally seems that Samsung’s stubbornness has ended, and Seamless Updates should finally become a Samsung thing. The Samsung Galaxy A55, the latest device from the Korean manufacturer, supports Seamless Updates (spotted by the folks at SamMobile).
When you download an update, you’ll see two progress bars. One is for “Downloading and installing” and the second is for “Verification”. Once both processes are complete, you just need to press “Restart now”, which takes as long as a regular restart does, and you’ll be running on the new version of the OS. The major advantage is significantly less downtime while the actual update is happening.
Will Previously Released Samsung Galaxy Smartphones Get Seamless Updates?
Unfortunately, no. When the feature was released, Google made it clear that it could not be retroactively applied to devices due to how Seamless Updates work across multiple partitions. So, if the device isn’t partitioned appropriately from the factory, it can’t be pushed out to older devices.
That’s not the best news for Samsung users like (especially for people with the S24 series), but it does mean that we can expect the company to keep this going for their future devices like the Galaxy S25 phones, which is good enough for the brand.
How Exactly Do Seamless Updates On Android Work?
The way Seamless Updates works is rather basic. Your device’s storage is split into an A and a B partition. When you choose to install an update on a phone with this feature, the update is downloaded and installed on partition B while you continue to use your phone on partition A. So, what you’d normally have to switch your phone off happens while you use it.
It’s also a safer update mechanism, as it means that your old functional OS is still intact on the first partition, so if the installation on partition B fails in any way, you can always roll back to the previous version of the operating system.
