Samsung Galaxy S25 Leaks: Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S25 series, anticipated for early 2024, could be the brand’s first flagship lineup to introduce seamless firmware updates through an A/B partition system. This feature, known for enhancing the user experience during updates, has been around since 2016 when Google first rolled it out. However, Samsung has been slow to adopt it in its flagship devices, until now.
Rumours from tech leakers hint that the Galaxy S25 might follow the lead of Samsung’s Galaxy A55, which launched earlier this year as the first Samsung device to incorporate the A/B partition structure.
What Does A/B Partition Mean? What Are Its Advantages?
This design lets the phone install software updates in the background on a separate “B” partition while the user continues to use their device on the active “A” partition (or vice versa).
When the update is ready, a simple reboot swaps to the new software on the secondary partition, making update times nearly seamless. This system reduces waiting periods and reboots faster, which could be a game-changer for the Galaxy S25 and future flagship devices.
This new approach not only shortens boot-up times post-update but also offers a smoother experience by allowing updates without interruptions. Previously, Samsung’s approach required users to pause activities while installing firmware updates. With the A/B system, Samsung's premium users could enjoy a more efficient updating process, likely setting a trend for upcoming high-end Samsung models.
Another key aspect of this feature is that it must be implemented at the hardware level, as the A/B partition can’t be retrofitted through a software update. Devices must be designed with this dual-partition system from the start, so if Samsung does bring this feature to the Galaxy S25 series, it could indicate a broader commitment to seamless updates across future devices. This transition to A/B partitions could ultimately make Samsung’s ecosystem more aligned with Google's latest Android capabilities.