Samsung has been making great strides in the software support department in the last couple of years, speeding up the development and rollout of major new updates for old high-end phones, spreading the love to more and more mid-rangers, matching Google's three-year commitment, and perhaps most importantly, replacing the arguably atrocious TouchWiz interface with a cleaner and smoother Android skin.
Dubbed One UI, this made its debut back in the fall of 2018, receiving a couple of minor updates before jumping to version 2.0 (based on Android 10) in late 2019. While One UI 3.0 is not here yet, obviously waiting for Android 11 to hit the stable channel soon, Samsung dished out two surprisingly substantial 2.x improvements this year.
Pre-installed on the Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra 5G, this goodie pack ironically doesn't look as hefty as the One UI 2.1 update, nonetheless bringing a few notable new features to Samsung's not-very-old S20-series flagships.
Probably the most important add-on is wireless DeX functionality, allowing you to mirror your phone's screen to a smart TV without using an HDMI cable. Of course, you can actually take your productivity to the next level with Samsung's proprietary DeX technology compared to good old fashioned TV screen mirroring.
That's because your handset is still entirely usable while powering the DeX experience, which is in turn interactive and versatile, supporting multiple app viewing, window resizing, keyboard shortcuts, and so on.
Meanwhile, although Single Take is not an entirely new feature, its utility is vastly improved with One UI 2.5. After installing the update, Galaxy S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra 5G owners will be happy to notice they can set their desired capture time (in a range from five to 15 seconds) for a technology used to shoot up to 14 types of photos and videos simultaneously to always ensure the best results in all possible scenarios.
The Pro Video mode introduced with One UI 2.0 is another thing that the One UI 2.5 promotion aims to improve, while Android 10 navigation gestures are now supported in third-party app launchers. According to SamMobile, the rollout has kicked off across a wide range of European territories, "including but not limited to" Italy, Hungary, Portugal, the Netherlands, and Germany, which probably means global availability is in the cards in the very near future.
For its part, Samsung is confirming the over-the-air delivery is underway as of August 21 in a bunch of unnamed regions, heading for "other Galaxy devices gradually" in the near future. We're obviously talking about 4G LTE-only S20, S20+, and S20 Ultra variants, as well as the Galaxy S10, S10+, S10e, S10 Lite, Note 10, Note 10+, Note 10+ 5G, Note 10 Lite, Note 9, S9, S9+, Z Flip, Z Flip 5G, Galaxy Fold, and Fold 5G.
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In closing, it has to be said that the timing of the latest Galaxy S20 5G series update is truly remarkable, coinciding with today's proper Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra 5G debut in "select markets", including the US. Now this is what we call software support worthy of the world's number one two smartphone vendor.
Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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