Samsung’s One UI 8 update based on Android 16 is right around the corner, but not every Galaxy S21 user will get a taste of it. While the Galaxy S21 FE is still eligible for the big upgrade, the original Galaxy S21 series — which includes the Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra— won’t be getting One UI 8.
If you’re wondering why, here’s the full breakdown.
Galaxy S21 FE gets One UI 8 thanks to its later release
The Galaxy S21 FE launched in January 2022 with Android 12 out of the box. Samsung promised four major Android OS updates and five years of security patches for the phone. Following this policy, the S21 FE has already received Android 13, Android 14, and Android 15 (One UI 7). Its fourth and final upgrade will be Android 16 with One UI 8, which is set to roll out later this year.
This makes the Galaxy S21 FE one of the most affordable Samsung phones still in line to receive a major software refresh in 2025.
Related: Here’s when Samsung will start rolling out stable One UI 8 update
Why the regular Galaxy S21 series misses out?
The original Galaxy S21 lineup—including the S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra—was released earlier, in January 2021, running Android 11 out of the box. These devices also got the same four-year OS update guarantee, meaning their upgrade path ended with Android 15 (One UI 7), which Samsung rolled out in May 2025.
While these phones won’t be getting Android 16 or One UI 8, Samsung isn’t completely dropping support yet. They’ll continue to receive security patches for a while, ensuring that your device stays safe and reliable even without the new features.
In short, the Galaxy S21 FE gets One UI 8 because it launched a year later than the rest of the S21 family, giving it an extra year of major software support. On the other hand, the Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra have reached the end of their OS update cycle and will remain on One UI 7.
If you own an S21 FE, you can look forward to Android 16 and One UI 8 later this year. But if you’re using one of the other S21 models, this might be the right time to consider upgrading— especially if you want the latest One UI experience.
