I finally understand why my Samsung gets Android updates so late; it's Google's fault

Published Sep 3, 2026, 8:15 AM EDT I've been writing about Android since 2011, with a focus on device reviews, Samsung and Google Pixel hardware, and the latest happenings in the ecosystem. In my entire writing career, I've reviewed more than 75 Android phones. Carrying both a Samsung or Pixel flagship and an iPhone as a daily driver provides me with deep insight into how Android works and how it compares to iOS. I have been writing for Android Police since 2021, covering news, how-tos, and features. You can find my previous work on Neowin, AndroidBeat, Times of India, iPhoneHacks, MySmartPrice, and MakeUseOf. When not working, I tend to mindlessly scroll through X, play with new AI models, or go on long road trips. You can reach out to me on X or drop a mail at rajesh@androidpolice.com. Google rolled out Android 17 for Pixel phones in June. Three months later, it's only available on Samsung's latest foldable flagships, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Flip 8. While almost all Android manufacturers have revealed their Android 17 plans, none of them have started rolling out the new OS. Google is to blame for this delay. In a bid to solve Android's fragmentation problem, the company has made headline Android updates feel almost pointless. The side effect of fixing Android's fragmentation problem New OS updates are not always needed Until a few years ago, Android updates were a big deal. They brought new features and improvements to your phone. Google typically releases one major Android update every year. The problem was that Samsung, OnePlus, and other Android manufacturers took months to roll out the new OS to their phones. To solve this problem, Google made several underlying changes to Android. It made the OS more modular, enabling updates to core components and the rollout of new features without updating the entire OS. Google Play Services and Play system updates take things further. They allow Google to fix a bug or patch a vulnerability without waiting for the device manufacturer to roll out a multi-gigabyte update. These changes have made Android phones safer and more dependable than ever. They ensure that even if a phone isn't running the latest Android version, it can still receive important security, privacy, and compatibility improvements, along with many of Google's newest features. It is a practical solution to one of Android's biggest problems. However, in making Android more modular, Google has also made Android updates less interesting. Android manufacturers are always playing catch-up Google moves on before everyone else catches up Google regularly highlights the number of Android manufacturers participating in its Android beta programs and says it plans to continue delivering updates at a "fast-paced release cadence." Yet, Android manufacturers always appear to be playing catch-up. Android 17 is still only available on Google Pixel phones. Even Samsung's flagship Galaxy S26 Ultra, one of the year's most popular Android phones, is still running Android 16. Yes, there's a public beta program, but that is only available to select users in some countries. Stable One UI 9, based on Android 17, is currently exclusive to Samsung's latest foldables. Likewise, OnePlus, Sony, and other Android manufacturers have yet to start pushing Android 17 to their phones. The problem is that Google is no longer releasing one major Android update every year. It is now pushing one feature-rich update every quarter. So, by the time other Android manufacturers roll out Android 17 for their devices, Google will have moved on to the next Quarterly Platform Release (QPR). Android 17 QPR2 Beta 4 reached platform stability by the end of August, even though most non-Pixel phones still haven't received the original Android 17 update. QPR updates are a big deal as they bring new features and improvements, including UI changes and customization features. Google pushes QPR code to AOSP, so manufacturers are free to adopt it. The problem is that Android manufacturers base their skins on the initial annual Android release. They do not rebuild their skins for every subsequent QPR release. This means that most major QPR features don't reach non-Pixel devices until the next major Android update lands on their phones. Samsung is the only exception, as it has changed One UI's release cadence to somewhat match Google. One UI now gets two major releases every year. Pixel owners get next year's Android features early Android 17 includes improvements Google released months ago Expanded dark theme provides a clear example of this gap. Google released this feature as part of Android 16 QPR2 in late 2025, months after the initial Android 16 update. But since no Android manufacturer based their Android 16 skin on the QPR2 (or even QPR1) release, the feature was not available on non-Pixel phones. It's only coming to the wider Android ecosystem with Android 17. It was a similar story with Live Updates. Android 16 introduced the necessary APIs for this feature, but the full experience, including always-on display and lock screen support, only rolled out to Pixels with Android 16 QPR1. Most Android manufacturers ended up with their own implementations of Live updates, which is why the feature is so inconsistent across the Android ecosystem. That's why, by the time Nothing, OnePlus, and other Android manufacturers roll out Android 17 to their phones, Google will have moved on to the next major QPR release. While Pixel owners will immediately gain access to its new features, everyone else will likely have to wait for Android 18 next year. The latest Android version is no longer the latest Android experience The Android update ecosystem is in a better place than it was a few years ago. Thanks to the operating system's modular nature, most Android phones now receive timely security updates and bug fixes. But in the process, Google has traded one form of fragmentation for another. The Android version your phone runs has little to do with the features it offers. Like before, Pixel owners are always the first to get new Android updates and features, which now arrive every quarter. For everyone else, the gap is now longer than ever.