What is Android’s seamless update and why you should care?

Firstly, seamless update streamlines the installation of a new firmware by having to create a temporary virtual partition in the device where these changes are first applied. And during the entire time, you can use your handset normally. Once the device wraps up the background works, it reboots and the changes from the temporary partition are then reflected to the main memory.

Google first introduced the seamless update feature back on Android 7.0, and has been available for Pixel phones. But as for Samsung, it has now added the feature first with the mid-range Galaxy A55.

Samsung's Galaxy A55 first software update
Samsung’s Galaxy A55 has a seamless update feature showing two split progress bars one for download and one for verification. / © SamMobile

As discovered by SamMobile, the first software update has hit the Galaxy A55. When installing the software, it shows two progress bars below with each attributed to Downloading and Installing section and one for Verification, which is how a seamless update should look like. There is also a pause button available below these bars.

Separately, developer Mishaal Rahman has confirmed from the Android Developer’s tools that this is indeed a seamless update for the Galaxy A55. It is expected that this would be the process for the future updates on the device.

Will Android’s seamless update become available to older Galaxy phones?

With what we know, seamless update is only available on the Galaxy A55 and not with the Galaxy A35 (comparison) that has been launched alongside the upper mid-range. It’s unclear if recent and older Galaxy phones like the Galaxy S24 (review) are getting this feature at all. But what’s a safe bet is that the upcoming Galaxy devices would likely arrive with the same feature.

Do you think the addition of seamless update on Samsung’s smartphones is one of the biggest features you’ve been wishing before? We’re eager to hear your thoughts in the comments.

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