Galaxy S21 series gets its first taste of Android 13 as One UI 5.0 beta launches

Ben Schoon | Aug 30 2022 - 7:24 am PT

Samsung is deep into development on Android 13, and now a second device is eligible to test out the beta software. Starting today, Samsung has launched the One UI 5.0 beta for the Galaxy S21 series, giving the 2021 release an early preview of Android 13.

Over the past several hours, Samsung has expanded its One UI 5.0 beta to the Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra in two regions. Both South Korea and the United Kingdom are currently eligible for the beta as SamMobile points out, with other countries expected to follow closely behind.

Like the Galaxy S22’s beta, S21 owners can sign up through the Samsung Members app on unlocked devices. You’ll need an active SIM card in your phone to sign up and install the update, too.

How to install the One UI 5 Android 13 Beta on Samsung Galaxy smartphones

One UI 5.0 on the Galaxy S21 series should be roughly the same as what’s on the Galaxy S22, meaning the update is based on Android 13 and brings a handful of improvements and new features to Samsung’s software experience.

Samsung’s take on Material You, “Color Palette,” picks up some new options while some apps get new icons, privacy and security get various improvements, and Samsung’s OCR features also get a boost amid competition from similar Google and Apple features.

The second One UI 5.0 beta hit the Galaxy S22 last week, bringing with it a few new features, including a new “Smart Suggestions” widget and, more interestingly, “Privacy Detection.” That allows Samsung’s software to automatically recognize if a user is about to share potentially sensitive information through photos and notify them before they send it out.

One UI 5.0 and Android 13 will likely be on their way to the Galaxy Z Fold 3/Flip 3 and Galaxy Z Fold 4/Flip 4 next, and Samsung is rumored to release the stable update starting in October or November.