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A couple of weeks back, Samsung released the Android 13-based One UI 5.0 stable update for the carrier-locked versions of the Galaxy S21 series phones in the US. The big Android update is now rolling out to the unlocked units as well.
Samsung rolled out Android 13 to a ton of devices thus far
The Android 13 update for the unlocked Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, and Galaxy S21 Ultra in the US comes with firmware version G99*U1UEU5DVK3 (via). The rollout is already available for users on most carrier networks, including T-Mobile, Sprint, Verizon, Comcast, and Xfinity Mobile. The remaining few should also join the party soon.
While Samsung shipped the big Android update for the Galaxy S21 series with the latest November security patch in most parts of the world, including the carrier-locked units in the US, the unlocked versions are only getting the October SMR (Security Maintenance Release). It’s fairly outdated now that we have stepped into December. But users still have plenty of other things to be excited about here in this release. We expect the Korean firm to roll out the December SMR to the devices in a few weeks.
The Android 13-based One UI 5.0 update brings a host of new features, improvements, and changes to Galaxy devices. For starters, Samsung has refreshed its UI design with bolder app icons and a minor reorganization of system menus. The system animations have also been improved for a smoother navigation experience. Additionally, the Korean firm now lets you customize your wallpaper, clock style, and other UI elements directly from the lockscreen. There are new customization options as well.
Elsewhere, Samsung has improved the camera experience with new features and improvements. It has added new editing features as well. The addition of OCR (Optical Character Recognition) enables you to extract text from images after you capture them or directly from the camera viewfinder. The feature even suggests contextual actions based on the content of the copied text. Last but not least, this update improves the accessibility, privacy, and security of your Galaxy smartphone.
Unlocked Galaxy S21 phones get Android 13 in the US
The Android 13 rollout for the unlocked Galaxy S21 phones in the US began recently. And as usual, the update will be released in batches. So it could take a few days for all eligible users to pick up the latest release. You will be notified once the OTA (over the air) package hits your phone. Simply tap on the notification to download and install the new Android version. Samsung also lets you manually check for updates from the Settings app.