Android 12 is still a very new version of the platform, but Samsung is launching the update for its Galaxy devices less than a month after Google’s own Pixel phones. More devices will be updated over the coming months, and Samsung has confirmed a preliminary list of devices that will be updated.
This article will be continuously updated with new devices as rollouts begin.
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What’s new in Android 12 on Samsung Galaxy devices?
Android 12 is one of the platform’s biggest updates ever on a visual level, but most of those design changes are completely exclusive to Google Pixel devices. However, Samsung has brought some changes to the device in One UI 4.0.
Like Pixels, Android 12 on Samsung devices forces all widgets to have rounded corners and also adopts a new design language for some of those widgets. Some of Samsung’s stock apps have been updated with a new design language, too, and Android 12’s Dynamic Color feature works like a charm. The feature can pull colors from your wallpaper and apply them to system accents and many apps.
There are also numerous privacy enhancements in Android 12, with new indicators that visibly show when the microphone or camera are in use, even if it’s in the background. Users can choose to give apps only an approximate location instead of a precise one, and there’s a Privacy Dashboard in the Settings to easily show which apps are using sensitive permissions.
Samsung devices confirmed to get Android 12
What devices will get Android 12? The list of Samsung Galaxy smartphones and tablets that will eventually be updated is quite long, and generally speaking includes every device released within the past two years, and flagships going even further back. So far, Samsung has confirmed the following devices for updates to Android 12.
Devices newly added to Samsung’s official list are marked in bold.
Galaxy S:
The list starts with Samsung’s Galaxy S21 series, which has already seen its update roll out to device owners in the US, on carriers, and in other regions around the world. Samsung will further update the entire Galaxy S20 and Galaxy S10 lineups to Android 12 in the first couple of months of 2022.
Samsung opened up the Galaxy S20 to its Android 12 update in beta in November of 2021, with the devices scheduled to be updated in January and February of 2022. In December, the beta expanded to Galaxy S10 devices.
After a brief hiccup in its rollout, Samsung resumed the wide rollout of Android 12 to the Galaxy S21 series around Christmas, and opened the floodgates a few days later to the entire Galaxy S20 series as well as the older Galaxy S10 lineup. Those devices weren’t expected to get Android 12 until early 2022, but the US models including carrier variants didn’t see the update until January and February. The Galaxy S10 5G followed just a few days later as it arrived in some parts of Europe with the Galaxy S10 Lite seeing its update in early January, over a month ahead of schedule The Galaxy S10 5G saw its Android 12 update expand to the US and Korea around January 17. Galaxy S20 FE’s update arrived in the US in early January, alongside a continually wider rollout to carrier variants of the rest of the S20 series. The Galaxy S10 series saw its Android 12 update in the US around January 19, and in Canada about a week later on January 28.
Galaxy Note:
Samsung’s Galaxy Note lineup, which certainly seems to be going away for good, will only see 5 devices updated to Android 12. That includes both Galaxy Note 20 devices as well as the Galaxy Note 10 series. The Galaxy Note 20 series has been in beta for some time, and in December 2021, Samsung extended support to the Galaxy Note 10 series.
In late December, Samsung rolled out the stable form of Android 12 to Galaxy Note 20 owners in some regions, with the update expanding to other regions in time. As of January, the update was rolling out widely including on major US carriers for both devices. The Galaxy Note 10 series also saw its update debut in December, over a month ahead of the expected schedule. It took about a month for that update to land in the US, starting with the unlocked Galaxy Note 10+. The Galaxy Note 10 followed closely behind, including expanding the update to Canada.
Galaxy Foldables:
Samsung’s foldable lineup is growing and the entire portfolio is eligible for the update to Android 12 and One UI 4.0. Samsung already has an active beta program for the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Flip 3 as of November, with the update scheduled to roll out before the year’s end. Samsung has also offered beta updates for the Galaxy Z Fold 2 and Z Flip series.
In December 2021, Samsung started rolling out stable updates to Android 12 for both the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and the Galaxy Z Fold 3 in certain regions, with availability constantly widening. Later in the month, Samsung kicked off the rollout of Android 12 to the Galaxy Z Flip and Flip 5G, as well as the Galaxy Z Fold 2. At first, those rollouts appear limited to portions of Europe. The original Galaxy Fold joined the party just ahead of the new year, while the China-only Galaxy W22 picked up its Android 12 update around January 6. The original Galaxy Fold’s 5G variant also started getting its update around January 11, while the Galaxy Z Flip and Galaxy Z Flip 5G saw their Android 12 updates hit the US in late January. In mid-February, the Galaxy Z Fold 2’s update arrived in the United States starting on T-Mobile and Sprint. A day later, it expanded to Verizon.
Galaxy A:
As the company expands its work on updates, Samsung is bringing Android 12 to a huge list of its popular Galaxy A series. So far, Samsung has confirmed the update will come to 15 Galaxy A devices, with most of those being confirmed as of November 16.
The first two Galaxy A devices with Android 12 were the Galaxy A72 and the Galaxy A52, both of which were updated during the first week of January in Russia. Around January 11, the Galaxy A52s saw its update in Korea. On January 14, the Galaxy A42 5G saw its update roll out in Poland, and we’ve also heard that it’s hitting devices on Verizon Wireless in the US.
Around January 17, the Galaxy A52 5G started seeing its Android 12 update rolling out, with Samsung starting the update in parts of Europe.
Galaxy Tab:
In the Android world, tablets are not a big deal, and finding one with good support is pretty difficult. Samsung, though, is standing by most of its Android tablets, with Android 12 coming to 8 tablets over the next few months.
In late December 2021, well ahead of the expected schedule, Samsung started rolling out Android 12 to the Galaxy Tab S7 and S7+ in some regions. By January, the update started expanding to the United States on select models.
When will my Samsung device get Android 12?
Not long after starting its rollout to the Galaxy S21, Samsung also confirmed an official timeline of when to expect Android 12 updates on various other Galaxy smartphones.
The Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Flip 3 are next in line, with Samsung planning a launch in December of this year. Notably, we’ve seen multiple beta updates for these devices since the program first opened, so Samsung is clearly getting close to that launch.
The timeline, released via the Samsung Members app, sees most of Samsung’s smartphone being updated to Android 12 in January and February of next year, with previous-generation flagships such as the Galaxy S20 series and Galaxy S10 series updated in those months. One interesting quirk is that Samsung says the standard Galaxy S20 won’t be updated until February, where the rest of the series will be coming in January.
Also of note on this schedule is that Samsung currently plans to be rolling out Android 12 for the next 8 months, with some Galaxy A series devices not being updated until August of next year. Of course, there’s always a chance things could speed up if development goes well.
Keep in mind these dates could vary by region, carrier, or various other factors. This list is also based on Samsung’sofficial US schedule, but other devices will get Android 12.
Samsung’s official Android 12 schedule
December 2021
January 2022
February 2022
March 2022
April 2022
May 2022
June 2022
August 2022
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