Samsung's A21s has reportedly been removed from the tech giant's list of devices that will consistently receive security updates, signaling it's nearing the end of its lifetime.
It was introduced in May 2020 with Android 10 (One UI 2.0), and Samsung pledged to upgrade the smartphone with two new versions of Android and four years of security patches.
It subsequently received Android 11 (One UI 3.0) in 2021, and Android 12 (One UI 4.1) in 2022. If anything terrible happens, Samsung may provide critical security updates. However, the Galaxy A21s is now more vulnerable to assaults than before.
The Galaxy A21s was known as a budget-friendly device thanks to its great battery life of 5,000 mAh and good-performing cameras in daylight. Despite this, there are several downsides, such as display resolution and color fidelity.
Samsung began providing five years' worth of phone upgrades in 2021 and 2022. In 2020, however, most Galaxy models were only supported for four years.
While high-end devices like the Galaxy S20 presently have a five-year support commitment, versions like the Galaxy A41, A51, and A71 will be discontinued in 2024. The Galaxy A21s is now also eliminated from the list of compatible phones.
According to Samsung's original pledge to four years of service, no additional upgrades are planned for the Galaxy A21s. While upgrades may be delivered in the future, Samsung has made no such commitments.
Current Galaxy A21s users do not need to take any urgent action. The phone remains secure and functioning, with most major apps, including banking apps, still running on Android 12.
Furthermore, Google Play system upgrades will continue to offer security for several essential components over the next few years. The Google Play system update dated May 1, 2024, is currently available for the Galaxy A21s.
Future Samsung Releases
Affected consumers could also look into upgrading to a new phone to prevent any future issues. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 and Z Fold6 will be available the following week, and the South Korean tech giant is currently providing "savings" of up to $1,500 to those who pre-order the new foldables.
The big savings may not be ideal for Samsung, but several elements might contribute to such a large number of discounts and benefits for new products.
Users who order in advance the new Samsung Galaxy foldable will receive a variety of freebies and bonuses, as well as a potentially significant reduction in the price.
Samsung's Galaxy AI Update
On a more positive note, Samsung also recently announced that more devices will be able to access its Galaxy AI. The smartphone giant's collection of artificial intelligence features.
Samsung stated in early April that the tech giant's prized Galaxy AI will be available on other smartphones with the latest upgrade, One UI 6.1.
The Galaxy Z Fold4, Galaxy Z Flip4 foldable phones, Galaxy S22 series, and Galaxy Tab S8 series tablets will all have access to Galaxy AI, the premium mobile AI experiences originally introduced in the Galaxy S24 series.
With the One UI 6.1 update, more people will have access to the following popular Galaxy AI features: Circle to Search with Google, Note Assist, Chat Assist, AI-Generated Wallpaper, Interpreter, Live Translate, Generative Edit, Edit Suggestion.
The update was released in early May for the Galaxy S22, Galaxy Z Fold4, Galaxy Z Flip4, and Galaxy Tab S8.
