The U.S. carrier-locked Galaxy Z Fold 2 starts to receive its final major Android update

Earlier today we told you that Samsung had released Android 13 along with the One UI 5.0 interface as an update for 2020's U.S. Galaxy S20 Fan Edition (FE) and 2019's Galaxy A51 handsets. But as the old late-night infomercials used to say, "Wait! There's more!" The latest Sammy handset to be updated to Android 13 and One UI 5.0 is the U.S. carrier-locked version of the Galaxy Z Fold 2 which was released in 2020.

SamMobile notes that the international version of the foldable was sent the update two months ago and last month the same update was received by the unlocked version of the phone in the states. The firmware version of the update for U.S. carrier-locked models is F916USQU2IVK5. Even though the device is supposed to receive monthly security updates, the new update includes the November security patch which means that device owners have missed the December 2022 and January 2023 releases.

Since the carrier-locked Galaxy Z Fold 2 is receiving the update, only those who purchased their phone from Sprint and T-Mobile have been sent Android 13 and One UI 5.0. Other carriers in the states are expected to push the update out over the coming weeks. T-Mobile purchased Sprint on April 1st, 2020 and last summer the Sprint network was retired.

[img center inline [[397356]]:"The U.S. carrier-locked version of the Galaxy Z Fold 2 has received Android 13 and One UI 5.0"]

The One UI interface is designed to make it easier for those with a large-screened phone to use it with one hand. This is accomplished by pointing a shrink-ray at the phone, reducing its size. moving tappable elements to the bottom of the screen. Even though Android 13 is the latest build of Google's mobile operating system, at last count it is installed on only 5.2% of all Android phones.

Android 13 for the Galaxy Z Fold 2 includes the Material You update which brings an expanded Color Palette, more helpful widgets, an enhanced blur effect, bigger app icons in notifications, smoother transitions, more wallpaper options, and improvements to lock screen customizations. The update also renames Bedtime Mode to Sleep Mode and Bixby Routines has been changed to Modes & Routines. The Settings app now has a Connected Devices menu that shows features related to Android Auto, Quick Share, Samsung DeX, and Smart View.

You can check for the update on your Galaxy Z Fold 2 by going to Settings > Software update. If prompted, tap on Download and install and follow the directions. The phone was originally released with Android 10 and has been updated to Android 11, Android 12, and Android 13. This Android update will be the last for the device. While current Samsung foldables receive four major Android updates, back in 2019 Google promised that it would update the second-gen Fold only three times. However, it will still receive security updates until late 2024.

Time flies and later this year Samsung will release the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5. Samsung has positioned itself as the global leader in the foldable smartphone market as it has battled off competition from Oppo, Huawei, and Xiaomi. The newest challenger is expected to be Google which later this year, possibly in October, could introduce the Pixel Fold. But unlike the Galaxy Z Fold's internal display, which is more portrait than landscape, the Pixel Fold will have a tablet-sized screen that is more landscape than portrait.

And before the next generation of Galaxy Z foldables hit the market, Samsung will introduce the flagship Galaxy S23 series on February 1st. These phones, along with the next round of foldables, will get four years of major Android updates which will keep them receiving the latest Android builds through Android 17. That doesn't sit well with Pixel users as Google promises only three years of Android support on its phones. It will be interesting to see whether Google goes to four Android updates for the upcoming Pixel Fold.