Galaxy S21 Series, A16, Carrier-Locked S24 FE Getting March Patch

Eligible Galaxy devices continue to receive the latest monthly patch. The company has already sent it to all of its latest flagship phones, including the Galaxy S25 series, whose update arrived a little later than expected. Now, the Galaxy S21 series, as well as the Galaxy S24 FE and Galaxy A16, are already getting the March 2025 security update.

Samsung fans remember the Galaxy S21 lineup fondly. These devices further refined the solid foundations of the Galaxy S20 series. It was also one of the last Galaxy flagships to feature a prominent camera island before Samsung went down the path of minimalism. On the other hand, the Galaxy A16 is a relatively new model that offers decent specs at an affordable price. On the other hand, the Galaxy S24 FE is the latest model in the brand’s series of “pseudo-flagship” phones.

March 2025 security update reaches Galaxy S21 series, Galaxy A16, and US carrier-locked S24 FE

It’s noteworthy that the Galaxy S24 FE was already receiving the March patch. However, it was only happening on the international variant of the device (SM-S721B). Now, Samsung is rolling out the update to carrier-locked units in the US. The firmware has the build number S721USQS3AYB1, as reported by SamMobile. So far, AT&T and Cricket customers have reported the availability of the update. It will likely reach more US carriers in the coming days.

The Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, and Galaxy S21 Ultra are also receiving the patch. However, in this case, it is initially only available for units in South Korea. Phones with model numbers SM-G991N (S21), SM-G996N (S21 Plus), and SM-G998N (S21 Ultra) are receiving the OTA under the respective build numbers G991NKSS8GYC1, G996NKSS8GYC1, and G998NKSS8GYC1.

Lastly, the Galaxy A16 is a low-end handset with high-end support. Samsung promised up to six years of OS updates and security patches. You probably won’t find any other phone in its segment with that longevity. The March patch is reaching the international variant of the phone (SM-A165F) with the build number A165FXXS2AYB2.

All of the models mentioned above are eligible to receive Android 15-based One UI 7. However, users will likely have to be quite patient.