What Is Samsung One UI and How It Differs From Stock Android

One UI is Samsung’s own interface for Android, and it runs on every current Galaxy phone, tablet and watch. Underneath, it is still Android, so Google Play, your apps and your Google account behave the same. What changes is the look, the built-in apps, a long list of Samsung-only features, and how and when updates reach you.

This guide explains what One UI is, how it compares with the “stock” Android on Google’s Pixel phones, and how to handle updates, Gemini and Circle to Search on a Galaxy.

What Samsung One UI actually is

One UI is a software layer, usually called a skin or custom interface, that Samsung builds on top of Google’s Android. Google publishes the core operating system as open source through the Android Open Source Project (AOSP). Phone makers then add their own design, apps and features. Samsung’s version of that is One UI.

When people search for “android samsung ui” or “samsung android ui,” this is the thing they mean. The home screen, the Settings app, the notification shade, the camera app, the keyboard and the lock screen on a Galaxy are all part of One UI.

From TouchWiz to One UI

Samsung has skinned Android since its earliest Galaxy phones. The first long-running skin was TouchWiz, which built a reputation for being heavy, busy and slow. Samsung Experience replaced it around 2016 and 2017 with a cleaner look, but the big reset came in November 2018, when Samsung announced One UI at its developer conference.

The pitch was specific. Phones had grown too tall to use with one thumb, so Samsung split many screens into two zones. The top half became a “viewing area” for titles and information. The bottom half became an “interaction area” for buttons, lists and controls you actually tap. Open the Settings app or Samsung’s Messages app on a Galaxy today and you can still see that idea: a big header at the top and the content pushed down toward your thumb.

One UI 1.0 rolled out to the Galaxy S9 and Note9 around the turn of 2019 and shipped on the Galaxy S10. Every Galaxy since has used it. You will also see it written as “oneui” in app package names and forum posts. It is the same software.

One UI versions and the Android they run on

Each major One UI release lines up with a major Android release. The “.1” and “.5” versions usually arrive with new hardware and add features without changing the Android base.

One UI version	Android base	Debuted on	When
One UI 1.0	Android 9	Galaxy S9 update, then Galaxy S10	2018-19
One UI 2.0	Android 10	Galaxy S10 update	Late 2019
One UI 3.0	Android 11	Galaxy S20 update	Dec 2020
One UI 4.0	Android 12	Galaxy S21 update	Nov 2021
One UI 5.0	Android 13	Galaxy S22 update	Oct 2022
One UI 6.0	Android 14	Galaxy S23 update	Oct 2023
One UI 6.1	Android 14	Galaxy S24 (first Galaxy AI)	Jan 2024
One UI 7	Android 15	Galaxy S25	Feb 2025
One UI 8	Android 16	Galaxy Z Fold7 and Z Flip7	Jul 2025
One UI 8.5	Android 16	Public beta for Galaxy S25	Dec 2025

Two things stand out in that history. First, Samsung dropped the “.0” from version names starting with One UI 7, which is why you now see “One UI 8” rather than “One UI 8.0.” Second, the gap between Google’s release and Samsung’s has swung a lot.

Android 15 reached Pixel phones in October 2024, while One UI 7 did not start its stable rollout to older Galaxy phones until April 2025. That roughly six-month wait drew plenty of criticism. Samsung tightened things up the following year: Android 16 landed on Pixels in June 2025, and One UI 8 began reaching the Galaxy S25 series in September 2025, a gap of about three months.

What “stock Android” means today

“Stock Android” gets used loosely, so it helps to pin it down. There are really three things people mean:

• AOSP: the bare open-source Android code from Google. Almost nobody uses it as-is on a phone, because it lacks Google Play, Gmail, Maps and the Google apps most people expect.
• Pixel software: the Android build Google ships on its own Pixel phones. This is what most reviewers mean by stock. It is AOSP plus Google’s apps, design and Pixel-only features such as Call Screen and Now Playing.
• Near-stock skins: brands like Motorola and Nothing keep their software close to Google’s design and add a smaller set of extras.

So the comparison that matters to buyers is One UI against Pixel software. Both are heavily customised in their own ways. Google simply has the advantage of building Android and its own phones at the same time, so Pixels get new Android versions first.

Since Android 16’s first quarterly update, Pixels use Google’s Material 3 Expressive design, with bouncy animations, larger rounded tiles and colours pulled from your wallpaper. One UI uses its own design language. It has supported wallpaper-based colour theming, which Samsung calls Color palette, since One UI 4, but the shapes, icons, menus and layouts are Samsung’s.

One UI vs stock Android side by side

Here is how the two compare on the things you notice in daily use. The stock column refers to Pixel software running Android 16.

Area	Samsung One UI 8	Stock Android (Pixel)
Design	Samsung design, one-handed layout	Material 3 Expressive
Quick Settings	Separate from notifications by default (One UI 7 and later)	Combined shade
Default browser	Samsung Internet preinstalled alongside Chrome	Chrome
Notes app	Samsung Notes	Google Keep
Gallery	Samsung Gallery, with OneDrive sync option	Google Photos
Voice assistant	Bixby and Gemini, side button configurable	Gemini
AI features	Galaxy AI plus Gemini	Gemini plus Pixel-exclusive features
Multitasking	Split screen, pop-up windows, Edge panels	Split screen
Desktop mode	Samsung DeX on supported models	Desktop features still limited
Secure storage	Secure Folder, backed by Knox	Private space (Android 15 and later)
Customisation depth	Good Lock modules, themes, lock screen editor	Wallpaper and colour theming
New Android version	Months after Pixel	Day one
Update promise (current flagships)	7 years	7 years

The headline is simple. Pixel software is lighter and quicker to update. One UI has far more built-in features and settings. Neither one is objectively better; they suit different people, and that is covered at the end of this guide.

The interface: where you notice the differences first

Pick up a Galaxy after using a Pixel and the differences show up within a minute. Most of them come down to layout and where things live.

Built for one hand

Samsung has kept its one-handed focus since 2018. Large headers in Settings, Phone, Messages, Clock and other Samsung apps push the tappable content down. Many menus open from the bottom. If you still struggle to reach the top of a big phone, One-handed mode shrinks the whole screen toward the bottom corner. You switch it on under Settings > Advanced features > One-handed mode, then swipe down on the bottom edge to trigger it.

There is also Easy mode, under Settings > Display > Easy mode. It enlarges icons and text, increases touch-and-hold delay, and simplifies the home screen layout. It is a sensible choice to set up for an older relative or anyone who wants a simple phone.

The home screen, One UI Home and the app drawer

Samsung’s launcher, the app that runs your home screen and app drawer, is called One UI Home. It appears in Google Play and the Galaxy Store as a separate listing, which is why you may see “Samsung One UI Home” pop up when you update apps. Samsung updates it independently of full system updates. You cannot install it on a non-Samsung phone, and on a Galaxy you cannot uninstall it.

The biggest visible difference from a Pixel is the app drawer. By default, Samsung’s drawer scrolls sideways in pages, much like the home screen, and it sorts apps in a custom order unless you switch it to alphabetical. Pixels use a vertically scrolling, alphabetical list. If you prefer Samsung’s layout but want more control over sorting, folders and page grids, our guide on the One UI app drawer walks through the settings.

You can also turn off the drawer entirely and put every app on the home screens, iPhone-style. Long press an empty spot on the home screen, tap Settings, and change Home screen layout to Home screen only.

Quick Settings and notifications

This changed in One UI 7. Samsung split the pull-down panel into two parts: swipe down from the left side of the top edge for notifications, and swipe down from the right side for Quick Settings, the toggles for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, flashlight and the rest. That mirrors how iPhones work and differs from Pixels, where one swipe brings down both.

If you prefer the old combined panel, long press any Quick Settings tile, open panel settings, and choose to show the two panels together. Samsung also lets you resize the brightness slider, rearrange tiles and pin your most used ones at the top.

The navigation bar: buttons or gestures

Pixels use swipe gestures by default and have mostly buried the old three-button bar. Samsung still ships many Galaxy phones with three buttons out of the box: Recents, Home and Back. You can swap the button order so Back sits where your thumb expects it, or switch to swipe gestures.

Head to Settings > Display > Navigation bar. From there you can:

• Choose Buttons or Swipe gestures
• Change the button order
• Hide the gesture hint bar at the bottom
• Adjust Back gesture sensitivity
• Turn Circle to Search on or off

Samsung’s own NavStar module in Good Lock, covered below, adds further tweaks such as custom button icons.

The Now Bar and Now Brief

One UI 7 introduced the Now Bar, a pill-shaped strip at the bottom of the lock screen. It shows live activities: a running timer, music playback, a navigation route, an active call, or an Interpreter session. It is Samsung’s answer to the iPhone’s Live Activities, and Pixels do not have an exact equivalent.

Now Brief is a related feature on recent flagships. It pulls together weather, calendar events, suggestions and health information from Samsung Health into a daily summary, shown at times such as morning and evening. How useful it is depends on how many Samsung apps you use. If your calendar lives in Google Calendar and your fitness data in another app, the brief feels thinner.

Features you get on One UI but not on stock Android

This is the strongest argument for One UI. Samsung bundles tools that would otherwise need extra apps, and several have no direct Pixel equivalent.

Multitasking: split screen and pop-up view

Both platforms support split screen. One UI goes further with pop-up view, which puts an app in a floating, resizable mini window on top of whatever else you are doing. You can shrink that window to a small bubble and bring it back later. It works well for keeping a calculator, chat or video call on top of a browser.

To open an app in pop-up view, open Recents, tap the app’s icon above its preview, and choose Open in pop-up view. Swiping diagonally down from a top corner inside an app does the same thing if you enable it in Settings > Advanced features > Multi window.

Edge panels

Edge panels are a slim handle on the side of the screen. Swipe it in to open a panel with favourite apps, app pairs (two apps that launch together in split screen), tools, contacts or the clipboard. You can turn it on under Settings > Display > Edge panels. Pixels have nothing like it built in.

Secure Folder and Knox

Secure Folder creates a separate, encrypted space on your phone with its own apps, photos and files, locked behind its own PIN or biometrics. You can run a second copy of a messaging app inside it, or keep private documents away from anyone who borrows your phone. It is protected by Samsung Knox, the security platform built into Galaxy hardware and software.

Android 15 added a similar feature called private space to Pixels, so the gap has narrowed. Secure Folder is still more mature and more flexible.

Knox also powers several other One UI security features:

• Auto Blocker blocks app installs from unknown sources and certain malicious commands over USB.
• Maintenance mode hides your personal data when you hand the phone in for repair.
• Knox Vault stores sensitive data such as passwords and biometrics in an isolated, tamper-resistant chip on supported models.

Modes and Routines

Modes and Routines, previously Bixby Routines, lets you automate the phone with if-this-then-that rules. A few examples:

• When you connect to your car’s Bluetooth, open Maps and set media volume to 70%.
• At 11pm, turn on Sleep mode, mute notifications and dim the screen.
• When battery falls below 15%, switch on Power saving and turn off Always On Display.

You find it under Settings > Modes and Routines. Pixels have a few fixed automations, but nothing this open-ended without a third-party app.

Samsung DeX

DeX turns a supported Galaxy phone or tablet into a desktop-style workspace with resizable windows and a taskbar. On phones you connect to a monitor with a USB-C to HDMI cable or adapter. On a Samsung tablet, DeX runs right on the screen and pairs naturally with a keyboard cover, which suits anyone who wants a laptop-ish setup without buying a laptop. Google has been working on its own desktop mode for Android, but DeX has years of head start.

Good Lock

Good Lock is a free Samsung app, available through the Galaxy Store in supported countries, that unlocks deep customisation through separate modules. The most popular are:

• Home Up: changes app drawer behaviour, folder styles and the Recents screen
• QuickStar: customises the Quick Settings panel and status bar icons
• LockStar: rearranges the lock screen
• NavStar: tweaks the navigation bar and gestures
• Theme Park: builds custom themes and icon packs
• Keys Cafe: custom keyboard layouts and effects
• Camera Assistant: adds advanced options to the Samsung Camera app

Nothing on stock Android comes close without rooting or a pile of separate apps.

Galaxy AI, Gemini and Circle to Search

AI is now a big part of how Samsung pitches One UI. Galaxy phones carry two sets of AI tools: Samsung’s own Galaxy AI features and Google’s Gemini assistant.

What Galaxy AI includes

Galaxy AI arrived with One UI 6.1 on the Galaxy S24 in January 2024 and was later added to the Galaxy S23, Z Fold5, Z Flip5 and Tab S9 series. Features vary by model, but the core set includes:

Feature	Where you use it	What it does
Live Translate	Phone app	Translates both sides of a voice call in near real time
Interpreter	Quick Settings	Split-screen translation for face-to-face conversations
Chat Assist	Samsung Keyboard	Adjusts tone and translates messages as you type
Note Assist	Samsung Notes	Summarises, formats and translates notes
Transcript Assist	Voice Recorder	Transcribes and summarises recordings
Photo Assist	Gallery	Moves, removes or resizes objects with generative fill
Audio Eraser	Gallery	Reduces wind, crowd and other noise in videos
Sketch to Image	Gallery, Notes	Turns rough drawings into generated images

Pixels have their own versions of several of these, such as Magic Editor and Audio Magic Eraser, plus exclusives like Call Screen. Samsung’s edge is that its tools are spread across apps you use daily, like the keyboard and the call screen.

Make the Side button start Gemini

Bixby is still Samsung’s own personal digital assistant, and it remains on every Galaxy. But Gemini is the more capable assistant for most people, and on the Galaxy S25 series Samsung made it the default for the Side button in many markets. On older or regional models, the button may still wake Bixby.

To check or change it:

1. Open Settings > Advanced features > Side button.
2. Under Press and hold, choose Digital assistant instead of Wake Bixby or Power off menu.
3. Next, go to Settings > Apps > Choose default apps > Digital assistant app.
4. Tap Device assistance app and select Gemini.

If you pick Digital assistant in step 2 but leave Google Assistant as the default in step 4, holding the button will open the older assistant. Both settings need to agree.

Confirm your Gemini preferences

Once Gemini answers the Side button, open the Gemini app and tap your profile picture to reach its settings. The ones worth checking:

• Gemini on lock screen: decides whether Gemini can respond without you unlocking first
• Gemini Apps Activity: controls whether your conversations are saved to your Google account
• Apps (extensions): lets Gemini act inside connected apps

On the Galaxy S25 and newer, Gemini can work with Samsung Calendar, Samsung Notes and Samsung Reminder, so you can say “add a reminder to call the dentist on Thursday” and it lands in Samsung’s app rather than Google’s.

Using Gemini day to day

The best uses are practical rather than flashy. You can ask Gemini about what’s on your screen, such as a long article or a restaurant’s menu, and get a quick summary. Gemini Live lets you hold a spoken back-and-forth conversation, and on supported phones you can share your camera or screen so it can see what you are asking about. You can also chain tasks across apps, like finding a restaurant and sending its address to a friend in one request.

Circle to Search

Circle to Search debuted on the Galaxy S24 and Pixel 8 series in January 2024, and it is one of the few headline features Samsung and Google shipped at the same time. Long press the home button or the gesture handle at the bottom of the screen, then circle, scribble on or tap anything visible: a jacket in a video, a landmark in a photo, a word in a foreign-language post. Google runs a visual search on it without you leaving the app.

It is built on the same technology as Google Lens, so it handles translation, product lookup and text copying. It can also identify a song playing around you or in a video. If it doesn’t trigger, check that it’s turned on under Settings > Display > Navigation bar.

Samsung apps vs Google apps: the duplicate problem

One of the most common complaints about One UI is duplication. A new Galaxy often carries two apps for the same job: Samsung Internet and Chrome, Samsung Gallery and Google Photos, Samsung Notes and Google Keep, Samsung Wallet and Google Wallet, Galaxy Store and Google Play.

Some of Samsung’s apps are excellent. Samsung Notes is one of the best handwriting apps on Android, especially with an S Pen. Samsung Internet has built-in ad blocker support and strong privacy settings. Samsung’s Phone app supports call recording in regions where that is legal, which Google’s dialer handles differently.

Here is how to cut the clutter without breaking anything:

• Pick defaults: Settings > Apps > Choose default apps lets you set your browser, phone, SMS and assistant app.
• Disable what you won’t use: open the app’s info page and tap Disable or Uninstall. Core Samsung apps can usually be disabled, and partner apps preinstalled in some regions can often be removed outright.
• Keep app stores: leave the Galaxy Store installed even if you never browse it. Samsung delivers updates for many of its own apps and Good Lock modules through it.

Samsung has also leaned toward Google for some core apps. In the US, recent Galaxy flagships use Google Messages as the default texting app, which gives you RCS chat features and keeps your messages consistent if you later switch to a Pixel.

Accessories follow a similar pattern. Galaxy Buds pair with a pop-up card and sync settings through Samsung’s Galaxy Wearable app. Third-party earbuds, including AirPods Pro 2, connect as standard Bluetooth headphones, so they work fine but lose features like automatic ear detection controls and quick settings toggles you would get on an iPhone.

How One UI updates work

This is where One UI has changed the most in recent years. Samsung used to trail far behind Google on support length. Its current flagships now match Pixels.

Samsung’s update promise vs Google’s

Phone	Launched	OS upgrades	Security updates
Galaxy S25 series	2025	7 years	7 years
Galaxy Z Fold7 / Z Flip7	2025	7 years	7 years
Galaxy S24 series	2024	7 years	7 years
Galaxy A56 / A36 / A26	2025	6 generations	6 years
Galaxy S23 series	2023	4 generations	5 years
Pixel 8 and later	2023 onward	7 years	7 years

The table shows why the model year matters if you buy a Galaxy secondhand or on discount. A Galaxy S23 launched with Android 13 and tops out four upgrades later, while a Galaxy S24 should keep getting new versions into the next decade.

Two caveats. First, the promise counts from launch, not from when you buy. Second, it guarantees updates will come but not how quickly. Pixels get each new Android version on release day, while Galaxy phones get it after Samsung finishes One UI work, usually starting with the newest flagship and working down the range. Mid-range and budget models often receive updates weeks or months after the S series, and some cheaper models get security patches quarterly rather than monthly.

How your Galaxy handles updates for you

By default, One UI downloads updates in the background over Wi-Fi and asks you to install them. You control this under Settings > Software update:

• Auto download over Wi-Fi: grabs update files automatically when you’re on Wi-Fi
• Install overnight: Samsung may offer to install between 2am and 5am while you sleep, provided the battery is charged enough

There are actually three update channels on a Galaxy, which confuses many people:

1. One UI software updates: the big version upgrades and Samsung’s security patches, delivered through Settings > Software update.
2. Google Play system updates: smaller Google-delivered fixes for core Android components, found under Settings > Security and privacy > Updates.
3. App updates: Samsung apps update through the Galaxy Store, and Google apps and One UI Home through Google Play.

If something like the Camera or Gallery app gets a new feature but your One UI version hasn’t changed, it usually came through the Galaxy Store.

How to check your current software version

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap About phone (About tablet on a Galaxy Tab).
3. Tap Software information.

You’ll see your One UI version, Android version, Google Play system update date, and the Android security patch level. The patch date matters more than most people think. If it’s more than three or four months old on a phone that’s still supported, check for an update.

How to manually check for a software update

1. Connect to Wi-Fi and make sure the battery is above 20%, or plug in your charger.
2. Open Settings > Software update.
3. Tap Download and install.
4. If an update is available, tap Download, then Install now once the download finishes.

The phone restarts during installation, and big version upgrades can take 15 to 30 minutes. Back up first through Samsung Cloud, Google One or Smart Switch on a computer, just in case. Major upgrades rarely wipe data, but a backup costs little.

If your phone says it’s up to date while others with the same model already have a new version, that’s normal. Samsung rolls updates out in waves by region and carrier. Carrier-locked phones in the US often lag unlocked models by days or weeks.

Joining the One UI beta

Samsung runs public beta programs for new One UI versions through the Samsung Members app, usually for flagships in a handful of countries such as the US, UK, South Korea, Germany and India. When a beta opens, a banner appears in Samsung Members and you register from there. The One UI 8.5 beta, for example, opened for the Galaxy S25 series in December 2025.

Betas carry bugs, and going back to stable software usually means waiting for the final release or wiping the phone. Only join on a phone you can afford to have misbehave. Samsung Members is also where you report bugs and run diagnostics, and it’s the first stop for support before booking a repair.

One UI beyond phones: tablets, foldables and watches

One UI runs across Samsung’s range, and that consistency is part of the appeal.

Tablets. Galaxy Tabs use the same One UI, adapted for large screens with a taskbar, three-app split view and DeX. The Galaxy Tab S11 and Tab S11 Ultra launched in September 2025 running One UI 8 on Android 16, with Galaxy AI and Gemini built in. Anyone choosing a Samsung tablet benefits from the fact that settings, apps and gestures match your phone almost exactly.

Foldables. The Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip lines get extra One UI features you won’t find on slab phones. On the Fold, apps can stretch across the inner screen, and the taskbar makes it work like a small tablet. On the Flip, One UI runs a cut-down version on the cover screen, called FlexWindow, with widgets and selected full apps. Samsung often debuts new One UI versions on foldables now, as it did with One UI 8 on the Z Fold7 and Z Flip7.

Watches. Galaxy Watches run One UI Watch on top of Google’s Wear OS. The Galaxy Watch8, launched in July 2025, shipped with One UI 8 Watch on Wear OS 6, adding Samsung Health features such as Bedtime Guidance and Antioxidant Index. Health data syncs back to the Samsung Health app on your phone, which ties into Now Brief.

The honest downsides of One UI

One UI has improved enormously since the TouchWiz days, but some trade-offs remain.

Slower access to new Android versions. Even at three months, you wait for features Pixel owners already have. Lower-end Galaxy phones wait longer.

More preinstalled software. Expect duplicate apps, Samsung services you’ll be prompted to sign into, and in some regions partner apps installed out of the box. Most can be disabled, but it’s work you don’t do on a Pixel.

More settings to dig through. The number of options is a strength for tinkerers and a burden for people who want a phone that simply works. The Settings search bar helps a lot. Use it instead of hunting through menus.

Bixby still lurks. Even if you never use it, Bixby occasionally appears in prompts and some regional defaults. Reassigning the Side button fixes most of it.

A Samsung account helps a lot. Features like Samsung Cloud, SmartThings Find for locating a lost phone, Samsung Health sync and Good Lock work best with a Samsung account. You can skip it, but you lose a good chunk of what makes One UI worthwhile.

On performance, the old reputation for lag no longer holds on flagship hardware. Current Galaxy S and Z phones run One UI smoothly. Budget A-series models with less RAM can feel slower than a similarly priced Pixel, mostly because One UI does more in the background.

Who should pick One UI, and who should pick stock Android

Choose a Galaxy with One UI if you:

• Want lots of features built in, from Secure Folder to DeX to pop-up windows
• Like to customise your phone heavily through themes, Good Lock and routines
• Multitask a lot, especially on a foldable or tablet
• Already own Galaxy Buds, a Galaxy Watch or a Galaxy Tab and want them to work together
• Want a wide choice of hardware, from budget A-series phones to the S Ultra and Z Fold

Choose a Pixel or a near-stock phone if you:

• Want new Android versions and features the day Google releases them
• Prefer a lighter, simpler interface with fewer duplicate apps
• Care about Pixel-exclusive tools like Call Screen and Now Playing
• Don’t want to configure much after setup

If you’re coming from an iPhone 13 or another older iPhone, One UI will probably feel more familiar than you expect. The split notification and Quick Settings panels, the lock screen live activities in the Now Bar, and the option to drop the app drawer all echo iOS habits. A Pixel will feel more different.

FAQ

Is One UI Android?

Yes. One UI is Samsung’s interface built on top of Android, and each version maps to a specific Android release. One UI 8 is based on Android 16. You still get Google Play, Google apps and full Android app compatibility.

What is the latest version of One UI?

One UI 8, based on Android 16, is the current stable version. It debuted on the Galaxy Z Fold7 and Z Flip7 in July 2025 and began reaching the Galaxy S25 series in September 2025. Samsung opened a One UI 8.5 beta in December 2025.

Can you install stock Android on a Samsung phone?

Not in any practical way for most people. Installing other Android builds requires unlocking the bootloader, which permanently trips Samsung’s Knox security flag and disables features such as Samsung Wallet and Secure Folder. Many US models don’t allow bootloader unlocking at all. A better route is to set Google’s apps as your defaults and, if you like, install a third-party launcher from Google Play.

Does One UI slow down your phone?

Not noticeably on recent flagships, which have plenty of power and RAM. On cheaper Galaxy A models, One UI’s extra features and background services can make things feel slower than lighter software on similar hardware. Disabling apps you don’t use and trimming animations under Developer options can help.

What is One UI Home on Google Play?

It’s Samsung’s launcher, the app that runs your home screen and app drawer. Samsung lists it on Google Play and the Galaxy Store so it can push updates without a full system update. It only works on Galaxy devices.

Do Samsung phones get updates as long as Pixels?

Current flagships do. The Galaxy S24, S25, Z Fold7 and Z Flip7 get seven years of OS and security updates, matching the Pixel 8 and later. Galaxy A56, A36 and A26 get six years. The difference is speed: Pixels get new Android versions first, while Galaxies get them after Samsung’s One UI release.