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Samsung's One UI 3.1 update rollout brings Galaxy S21 features to older phones
- Samsung has started rolling out One UI 3.1 to the Galaxy S20, Note 20 and Z foldable phone lines.
- The update adds an improved Single Take, Object Eraser, multi-mic recording, blue light filtering and private sharing.
- The deployment starts in “select” countries.
After a false start, Samsung is finally ready to bring some Galaxy S21 features to other recent devices. The company has started rolling out the One UI 3.1 update to Galaxy S20, Note 20, Z Flip, and Z Fold 2 devices in “select regions.”
The One UI 3.1 release primarily introduces camera and photo editing features. An upgraded Single Take feature captures a flurry of photos and videos at once to ensure that you have the right shot. Object Eraser lets you quickly remove unwanted items from photos. Multi-mic recording, meanwhile, captures audio from both the phone and a Bluetooth device to produce a richer sound for videos.
See also: Samsung phone buyer’s guide
You’ll also get an “Eye Comfort Shield” that tones down blue light later in the day to (potentially) help you sleep. Private Share gives you more control over what you share and how long it’s available to others.
The One UI 3.1 update won’t perfectly replicate the Galaxy S21 experience. You won’t get hardware-dependent features like the Director’s View showing live imagery from three cameras. However, the new software should keep your slightly older Galaxy relevant until you’re ready to upgrade. The main question is timing — it may take a while before your device and country get Samsung’s revised interface.