Samsung brings S22 features to older phones with One UI 4.1

By Michael Allison March 15, 2022

Following off an announcement that it would be bringing camera features from the Samsung Galaxy S22 to older phones, Samsung today shared that other features from the S22 would trickle down to earlier models. Aside from the obvious inclusion of the S21, Note 20, Z Flip 3, and Z Fold 3, Samsung also promised to bring the update to A-Series phones and Tab S devices.

The new update will add a selection of camera features, including an object eraser, support for Expert RAW, Snapchat integration, and a lot more. Not all the phones getting One UI 4.1 will get all the camera features, though. In essence, the newer and more powerful your device, the more you’ll get out of this camera-wise.

Samsung is also rolling out Google Duo live sharing, a feature that lets you screen share with your colleagues and friends over Google Duo for work and play — though it’s currently limited to Google Arts & Culture, Google Maps, Jamboard, Samsung Notes, Samsung Gallery, and YouTube. Enhanced photo sharing via Quick Share improves Samsung’s take on AirDrop between Galaxy devices. Finally, Samsung’s keyboard is getting a boost from the folks over at Grammarly to strip away typos and improve the clarity in your writing. A 90-day Grammarly Premium trial for eligible users is also available with this release.

Samsung is rolling out the One UI 4.1 update first to the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Flip 3, with the S21 Series, unspecified A-series models, and the Galaxy Tab S7 FE also on the list. In the future, older supported phones, including the the S10 and above,will get the update when it becomes available.

It’s worth noting that the One UI 4.1 update does not include support for Google’s Android 12L release, which began rolling out last week to Pixel phones including the Pixel 3a and above. The company has promised to bring it to Tab S devices, including the newly launched Samsung Galaxy Tab S8-series.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Michael Allison

Mobile News Writer

A UK-based tech journalist for Digital Trends, helping keep track and make sense of the fast-paced world of tech with a…

Mobile

You may want to think twice about buying a Samsung or Pixel phone

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra next to the Google Pixel 7 Pro.

A new report from Project Zero, Google's internal security research team, says that a laundry list of devices using Exynos modems are at a high risk of major security breaches that would give remote users the ability to very easily "compromise a phone at the baseband level." Notably, the recently released Pixel 7 is among those that are open to attack, alongside the Pixel 6 and Samsung Galaxy S22, to name just a few.

Obviously, this is a major issue, but not all hope is lost, as the problem is certainly fixable. The big question is when a fix for all affected devices is coming. Here's everything you need to know about the vulnerability and what you can do to keep your smartphone safe.
Why Samsung and Pixel phones are in danger

Mobile

The one thing the iPhone 14, Galaxy S23, and Pixel 7 all get wrong

Apple iPhone SE (2020) being plugged in to charge.

At Mobile World Congress (MWC) this year, new smartphones broke cover as one would expect. I won't bore you with all the details; Digital Trends' Joe Maring and Jacob Roach wrote an excellent roundup of all the best MWC 2023 announcements already.

One key quality-of-life-improving feature we picked up on as a theme was charging speed. Apple, Samsung, and Google, the mainstream phone brands by coverage (even if not all by sales), stick to a fast-charging average speed of just over an hour — even with the latest iPhone 14, Galaxy S23, and Pixel 7. By comparison, a phone from Xiaomi, Oppo, or OnePlus can get you moving in 30 minutes or even less. It's time to demand more from our phones.
Fast charging exists — just not for you

Mobile

I tried replacing my $4,000 camera with the Galaxy S23 Ultra and iPhone 14 Pro

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. and iPhone 14 Pro.

The smartphone-versus-DSLR camera debate divides opinions rather sharply, and for good reason. Each has its own set of benefits and drawbacks. However, unless you’re doing photography for professional reasons, the phone in your hands is an extremely powerful imaging tool that can run circles around a DSLR or mirrorless camera.

I’ve been exploring the foothills of the Himalayas for the past few weeks and decided to take along Samsung and Apple’s best smartphones, instead of carrying a professional DSLR camera with me (one that, in total, costs around $4,000). My travel-logging companions have been the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and the iPhone 14 Pro. I’ve been blown away by what these smartphone cameras can accomplish, and the dramatic upper hand they hold over your average DSLR camera in a healthy bunch of scenarios.
Night mode is the magic mode