Well, this is becoming a pattern. Samsung has now paused the big Android 16 (One UI 8) update for the Galaxy S23 series, just days after having to do the exact same thing for the newer Galaxy S24 line.
What exactly is going on?
Samsung was on a pretty good roll, pushing out its One UI 8 update (which is built on Android 16) to its recent flagship phones. The Galaxy S23, S23+, and S23 Ultra all started getting the update at the end of September, and the rollout was expanding globally.
But as of today, Samsung appears to have hit the brakes. According to a new report, the rollout has "hit a snag" and is now officially suspended. This news comes just one week after the Galaxy S24 and S24 FE had their updates paused for a similarly mysterious reason.
Samsung hasn't given an official "why," which is pretty typical for these kinds of pauses. The most likely culprit is a last-minute, significant bug that was discovered as the update hit more devices. Samsung would rather fix it before it rolls out to millions of more users. So, if you're an S23 owner who hasn't gotten the update yet, you're back to waiting.
Look, a paused update can be... well, it's a bit of a mess. Over the past few years, Samsung has built a reputation for being one of the fastest and most reliable Android updaters in the game. Second only to Google with its own Pixel phones, and even at rare times beat Google at its own game with monthly security patches.
But that is exactly Google's Pixel lineup usually has the edge, as Pixel owners get the new Android version on day one. While those initial releases can certainly have their own share of bugs (as any long-time Pixel user can tell you), you don't often see Google start a major rollout and then pull it back for two straight generations of its main flagships. That's not to say that Google's rollouts have been perfect, as we have also seen where those can go wrong as well.
Are you a Galaxy S23 series user waiting on your One UI 8 update?
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It's only temporary
Honestly, this isn't a great look for Samsung. Pausing one flagship update? It happens. Pausing two of your biggest phone lineups back-to-back? That suggests a bigger problem in the quality assurance (QA) pipeline.
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That said, as much as it's a bummer to wait, this is ultimately a good thing. I would much rather Samsung finds a critical, phone-breaking bug and pause the update than have it roll out to my device and cause massive battery drain or, worse, a total system failure. That's a headache no one wants to deal with.
If you're a Galaxy S23 or S24 owner, just sit tight. The update will come, and it will (hopefully) be far more stable because of this delay. It's a minor annoyance now, but it's almost certainly saving a lot of people from a major problem later. We'll be keeping an eye on this to see when Samsung finally opens the floodgates again.
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Johanna 'Jojo the Techie' is a skilled mobile technology expert with over 15 years of hands-on experience, specializing in the Google ecosystem and Pixel devices. Known for her user-friendly approach, she leverages her vast tech support background to provide accessible and insightful coverage on latest technology trends. As a recognized thought leader and former member of #TeamPixel, Johanna ensures she stays at the forefront of Google services and products, making her a reliable source for all things Pixel and ChromeOS.
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