These tablets are the last ones released before Samsung’s more generous support policy.
Back in the TouchWiz era, Samsung’s reputation for timely software updates wasn’t exactly the best. It’s thus great to see how far the brand has come in delivering faster updates and providing longer software support for its devices. Samsung is now one of the few Android manufacturers that offers a generously long software support policy, with its recent Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra benefiting from seven years of OS and security updates. Not every tablet Samsung has sold in previous years enjoys that kind of longevity, though.
2026 marks the final release of major Android updates for the Galaxy Tab S9, S9+, S9 Ultra, S9 FE and S9 FE+. These tablets will receive the One UI 9 update, which is based on Android 17. The Galaxy Tab S9 series arrived in 2023 running One UI 5.1 (Android 13), with Samsung promising four generations of major OS updates and five years of security patches for these devices. They should continue to receive security updates until sometime in 2028.
The Galaxy Tab S8, S8+ and S8 Ultra (released in February 2022) have already received their final major OS upgrade with One UI 8, which is based on Android 16. Security updates should continue until February 2027. Android 16 is also the last major update for the Galaxy Tab A9 and A9+, which were released in October 2023. Despite being a bit newer, the Galaxy Tab A9 series has already received its final major OS update, likely because it was a budget-oriented offering. It will still receive another year of security updates.
What about newer Samsung tablets?
Fortunately, newer Galaxy Tab models come with longer software support cycles. Samsung began its seven-year software update policy with the Galaxy Tab S10 series that launched in 2024. The newer Galaxy Tab S11 and S12 models offer the same commitment. Surprisingly, even Samsung’s budget Galaxy Tab A11 and A11+ devices, which released in 2025, are eligible for seven years of Android and security updates. If you’re buying from Samsung’s current catalog of tablets, you don’t have to worry about having software updates dropped anytime soon.
Samsung also sells rugged tablets under its Galaxy Tab Active lineup, which are marketed primarily towards business and enterprise customers. These devices have different software update policies. The Galaxy Tab Active5 was launched in 2024 with a four-year commitment to Android OS updates and five years of security updates. Since it shipped with Android 14, it should be good for updates through Android 18, with security patches continuing until 2029.
Be aware that not every device from Samsung receives OS updates at the same time. Rollout schedules vary depending on your tablet’s model and region. So if you aren’t seeing the One UI 9 update on your Galaxy Tab yet, it doesn’t mean you’ve been left out. Check for Android or security updates on your Samsung tablet by navigating to Settings > Software update > Download and install. If there’s a pending update available, tap Install now.
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