It appears as if the Android 7.1.1 Nougat update for the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge is imminent. The software upgrade for the current flagship handsets has moved into carrier testing and should then follow for former flagships Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge, S6 Edge Plus, and Galaxy Note 5.
Android 7.1.1 Nougat Update For Galaxy S7, S7 Edge Moves To Testing
It's good news for owners of Samsung's latest flagship smartphones, the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge, as one international carrier has just moved the handsets into the carrier testing phase of release for the highly anticipated software upgrade. Vodafone Australia's Software Update Weekly Wrap was updated this week to reflect the move, which indicates that the upgrade is ready and unless issues arise during testing which cause the carrier to contact Samsung and request changes, the update will be released to customers imminently.
That means other carriers internationally are likely to follow suit. Most carriers in fact do not indicate where their eventual software updates stand as far as the development and testing process on an accessible page for customers, meaning testing could well be underway at multiple international carriers.
T-Mobile is the only major carrier to do so in the United States, where the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge are both still currently listed as being in the "manufacturer development" phase of release. While Verizon, announced its customer's devices will receive Nougat in January, Sprint and AT&T offer no official progress notifications, although they sometimes release statements or respond to customer inquiries on their respective blogs, customer support forums and Twitter accounts.
As we recently reported, Samsung will be skipping over Android 7.0 Nougat and upgrading the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge to Android 7.1.1 Nougat. That news was relayed to a participant in the Android 7.0 Nougat beta testing program which was launched for owners of the smartphones in mid-November.
Galaxy S6, S6 Edge, S6 Edge Plus, And Note 5 Android Nougat 7.1.1 Update
That news led to speculation that other Samsung handsets set to receive Android Nougat, such as the Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge, S6 Edge Plus, and Galaxy Note 5 would also be skipping over the Android 7.0 Nougat update, directly to Android 7.1.1 Nougat. It seems likely given that the handsets will follow in the footsteps of the current flagship devices.
The news of the imminent Nougat release for the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge leaves the question of exactly when the aforementioned former flagships will in fact receive their Android 7.0 updates. While there is no confirmed timeline for the release of Android Nougat to the Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge, S6 Edge Plus, and Galaxy Note 5, the sooner the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge receive its Android 7.1.1 upgrades, the sooner their predecessors will get their updates. That's because the general protocol for smartphone manufacturers is to first update their latest handsets and then work backwards to release updates for older devices. We'll be sure to keep you posted on any news regarding the Android Nougat upgrades for the Samsung Galaxy S7, S7 Edge, S6, S6 Edge, S6 Edge Plus and Note 5 as it develops.
