In November last year, we noticed “seamless updates” on Google’s Pixel devices starting to get a lot faster than before, and now it seems that Samsung has at least adopted this functionality. This is a feature for Android, also known as A/B system updates which lets you normally use the phone while the update gets installed in the background. After the March 2024 security patch update, the Galaxy A55 5G users have seen this Android feature in action which has been available in Google’s Pixel devices for a while.
The Samsung Galaxy A55 5G got the “seamless updates” feature before the Galaxy S24 series
The Mobile Indian noted that while updating, the Galaxy A55 5G now shows a two-stage installation process – ‘Downloading and Installing’ and ‘Verification’. It’s interesting to see that the company’s latest flagship lineup, the Galaxy S24, still requires users to restart their device and wait while the phone installs the updates.
Meanwhile, a midrange offering has already utilized the advanced method to save users’ time and offer a better experience experience. This phone now installs the update in the background. After that, it needs a simple restart to complete the process. For reference, all other Samsung devices currently show the One UI installation screen for a while. The Galaxy A55 5G was reportedly faster in completing the update than the Galaxy S24 Plus. Notably, the latter one equips a much faster SoC.
It could be possible that the Galaxy A55 was the first. After they completed the implementation of the A/B updates in their system and they applied it right away. We will need to see how soon the users of other models (especially the high-end ones) get to experience this new feature.
How do A/B updates actually work?
The concept of seamless updates relies on the presence of two system partitions. When a seamless update is initiated, the new software is installed on the inactive partition. This is where the phone finally requires a reboot, to transition to the updated partition. Likely, it does not require the same amount of time that is needed to install the update.
Additionally, it was noted that these new A/B or seamless updates offer enhanced safety against installation errors. It essentially creates a copy of the system during the installation. It will be able to revert back to the previous version if necessary. However, on the flip side of the coin, it requires more system storage during the process.
