The original Galaxy Fold was promised three years of major Android updates and four years of security updates. It was announced in February 2019 with Android 9 out of the box quite a long time ago. The hardware is probably a bit too old to support Android 13 and Android 14. The latest One UI 6 update is based on Android 14, and the previous One UI 5 version was based on Android 13.
Since this came out with Android 9, it got its final major Android update, Android 12 (One UI 4), in late 2021. The original Galaxy Fold got no major Android updates after One UI 4. It didn’t receive One UI 5 either, and it won’t get One UI 6. However, it still got security patches consistently after the One UI 4 update.
Flagships move from monthly to quarterly to even bi-annual security updates. The Galaxy Fold will no longer receive any security updates. If there’s a very critical security flaw in the future, Samsung may or may not issue an update to fix it. This leaves the phone vulnerable to hackers and data exploits since targeting older devices is easier.
The original Galaxy Fold was highly experimental, had many issues, and was ridiculously expensive as well. It didn’t sell too many units but was the first globally available open notebook-style foldable phone. After the release of the November 2023 patch, the Fold is no longer on Samsung’s software update lists.
If you still have the original Galaxy Fold, you may consider an upgrade. It’s not necessary if the experience with your current phone is completely satisfactory. However, the new Z Fold 5 is a generational leap forward regarding performance, display, battery life, cameras, etc. It’ll also get more consistent software updates.
The Z Fold has a 7nm Snapdragon 855 chip. It’s not very efficient for 2023 standards. One main issue you could have with the Fold is battery life, and you may consider upgrading to the newer models for this alone. The QHD+ AMOLED inner panel isn’t very bright; it only refreshes at 60Hz, and the panel doesn’t offer a liquid smooth 120Hz experience, which the latest ones do.
