After the Galaxy A55, Galaxy A54 and Galaxy A35, Samsung has officially started rolling out the stable Android 15-based One UI 7 update to more budget devices in the A series, this time targeting the budget-friendly Galaxy A15 4G and Galaxy A16. However, if you’re in Kenya or elsewhere in Africa, you’ll have to wait a little longer before the update shows up on your phone.
As of now, the update has landed in South Korea, where Samsung tends to push out software updates first before expanding them to other markets. According to reports shared by members of Samsung’s Korean Community (via SamMobile) and on X, the Galaxy A15 4G is receiving One UI 7 through firmware version BYD5, which also includes the May 2025 security patch. Meanwhile, the Galaxy A16 is getting the update via firmware version BYE2, though it’s allegedly bundled with a slightly older November 2024 security patch for whatever reason.
This move follows the release of Android 15 for higher-end Galaxy S and Galaxy Z foldable phones, and more recently, A-series models like the Galaxy A55, A54, and A35 in select markets such as Europe and Korea. But Samsung’s usual rollout pattern means African markets, including Kenya, typically come later in the queue — often weeks or even months behind.
Why the delay in Kenya and other African regions?
Samsung prioritizes its largest and most active markets when rolling out major updates, particularly where its beta testing programs are conducted — like South Korea, Europe, the US, and parts of Asia. These regions help the company monitor real-world feedback and catch any serious bugs before scaling to other parts of the world. Unfortunately, this cautious phased rollout means countries like Kenya tend to sit at the tail end of the update wave.
That said, the arrival of One UI 7 on the A15 4G and A16 in Korea is a good sign — it confirms that Samsung has finalized the software for these devices and that global rollout is just a matter of time. Based on past update trends, Kenyan users can likely expect the update to start trickling in within the next few weeks.
While One UI 7 brings plenty of visual refinements and under-the-hood improvements, it’s important to note that the Galaxy A15 and A16 won’t get the full premium treatment. Some high-end features like Galaxy AI remain exclusive to flagship devices, so don’t expect generative photo editing or AI-assisted summaries here.
Still, for budget device owners, the upgrade to Android 15 is a welcome change that should improve overall performance, battery efficiency, and system animations — even without all the bells and whistles.
We’ll be keeping an eye out and will update you once Samsung flips the switch for Kenyan users.
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