Samsung is officially ending software support for several popular devices from its 2020 lineup, most notably the fan-favorite Galaxy S20 FE. The move is part of the company’s standard product lifecycle management, which allows it to concentrate development resources on newer generations. The S20 FE and its 5G variant have been removed from Samsung’s official security update schedule, which details whether a device receives monthly, quarterly, or semi-annual patches.
This update retirement also affects several other models, including the Galaxy M22, Galaxy M52 5G, Galaxy W22 5G, and the rugged Galaxy Tab Active 3. These devices will no longer receive new security patches or software enhancements from the manufacturer.
A Promise Kept
The Galaxy S20 Fan Edition, originally launched in the fall of 2020, was widely regarded as a strategic success, offering many of the premium features from its flagship S20 siblings at a more competitive price. At its launch, Samsung pledged three major Android upgrades and five years of security updates. The company has now fulfilled that commitment. The October 2025 security patch served as the final official update for the S20 FE, bringing its software support to a close and demonstrating Samsung’s reliability in maintaining long-term support schedules.
The 2020 Budget Landscape
The S20 FE’s end-of-life brings that entire generation of hardware into focus. While the “Fan Edition” targeted consumers wanting flagship-level specs, Samsung’s 2020 portfolio also heavily featured entry-level devices designed for accessibility. A prime example from that same period was the Samsung Galaxy A21, a smartphone that illustrates the hardware and features available at the budget end of the market.
What $250 Offered in 2020
Announced in April 2020 and released that June, the Galaxy A21 carried a $250 MSRP. This device, also known by its model number SM-A215U, was built with a plastic back and frame, weighing 6.81 ounces. Its performance was handled by a Mediatek Helio P35 system chip, an octa-core processor built on a 12 nm process. This was paired with a modest 3GB of RAM and 32GB of eMMC 5.1 internal storage. It did, however, offer storage expansion via a microSDXC card slot for up to 512 GB. The phone shipped with Android 10 out of the box.
Core Features of the A21
The A21 was built around a large 6.5-inch IPS LCD, though its resolution was limited to 1600×720, giving it a pixel density of 270 PPI. Powering the device was a substantial 4000 mAh battery, which supported 15W wired fast charging. For biometrics, it relied on a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor.
Despite its budget position, the A21 featured a quad-camera array. This setup included a 16 MP main sensor, an 8 MP ultrawide lens, a 2 MP macro camera, and a 2 MP depth sensor. The front-facing camera was a 13 MP sensor, and both front and rear systems were capable of 1080p video recording.
Connectivity and User Impact
The A21 maintained several features that were common at the time, including a 3.5mm headphone jack, Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi ac, and FM radio. It also included NFC for contactless payments and used a USB Type-C port for charging.
For users of the S20 FE and other devices now being phased out, the end of official support does not mean the phones will immediately stop working. They will remain functional, but they will no longer receive crucial security updates. This introduces an elevated risk, as newly discovered vulnerabilities will not be patched. Furthermore, these devices will not receive any new Android versions or One UI interface updates, effectively freezing their software capabilities in their current state.