Galaxy Note 9 One UI 2.1 Update Starts Rolling Out

Samsung has long been regarded to be one of the worst when it came to Android updates and it's almost difficult to believe that it has turned over a new leaf. It's not perfect but the company has definitely improved its record, at least as far as its high-end smartphones go. It didn't take long for Samsung to roll out the Android 10 update for its 2018 Galaxy Note 9 and now it's giving it yet another big update, this time with its own One UI 2.1 experience.

The major update Samsung rolled out last January was a pretty massive one, combining the changes brought by Android 10 with equally big changes from its One UI 2.0 UX. Since then, however, Samsung has released One UI 2.1 when it launched the Galaxy S20 trio. Now it's making that same experience available to the Galaxy Note 9 as well but with one important caveat.

The experience that One UI 2.1 will offer on the Galaxy Note 9 will, of course, not be similar to those on the Galaxy S20 or even the Galaxy Note 10 from late 2019. A lot of those require specific hardware, like a display capable of 120 Hz refresh rate. Fortunately, there's still a lot left for users to enjoy.

A lot of those new features revolve around the Camera experience, from the Single Take mode that captures a series of stills and videos when you tap the shutter button to the return of Pro video recording. There is also new Quick Share and Music Share functions for files and music, respectively, as well as the general improvement in the user interface appearance.

The One UI 2.1 update for the Galaxy Note 9 isn't exactly a surprise but it was definitely surprising that it is rolling out sooner than expected. It will take some time to reach all markets, of course, but that should give braver users time to expose all potential bugs and problems. As for the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+, those, too, will soon get their One UI 2.1 treat.