Samsung has announced a delay in the rollout of its One UI 7 mobile operating system, based on Android 15, for several of its latest flagship devices. The affected devices include the Galaxy S24 series, Z Fold 6, and Z Flip 6. The update was initially released to U.S. users but was halted just four days later. This situation highlights ongoing issues with Android fragmentation, where not all users are on the same software version, despite efforts by Samsung and Google to unify user experiences with AI-driven features.
Reports began circulating about the issue, with well-known leaker IceUniverse sharing information on social media that South Korean users were experiencing problems unlocking their devices after the update. Additionally, there were complaints that the Secure Folder feature, designed to protect private data, was not functioning correctly for images in the Gallery app. The Samsung-focused fan blog SamMobile confirmed the issue by replicating the problem.
Following a weekend of complaints and unsuccessful software updates, Samsung decided to pause the update rollout. The company did not specify the exact reason for the suspension. However, a Samsung spokesperson told Gizmodo that the One UI 7 rollout schedule is being revised to provide the best possible user experience, with new timing and availability details to be announced soon.
In the meantime, users with the previous year’s flagship devices will continue using One UI 6 and Android 14, missing out on new features such as the Now Bar lock screen widget, AI-powered call transcripts, and Audio Eraser. They will also be without key Android 15 features like app archiving and notification cooldowns. This delay is occurring approximately two months before the anticipated arrival of Android 16, which is already in its third public beta stage, and around seven months after Android 15 was initially released.
Despite Android no longer being the primary focus, Samsung’s delay illustrates ongoing challenges in maintaining uniformity across devices, reminiscent of past difficulties when Android partners struggled to align their software updates. While Google has improved collaboration efforts with partners to reduce fragmentation, legacy issues persist.
Samsung has indicated that efforts are underway to resolve the issues with One UI 7, though no specific timeline has been provided. Currently, the Galaxy S25 series is the only set of devices running the latest software.
