Samsung has officially drawn plugs on software support for the Galaxy S20 series, including the Mighty Galaxy S20 Ultra. By April 2025, once-eminent flagship will no longer receive Android updates, security patch or any other software enhancements. The final leading Android version it received was Android 13, and the final security update was rolled out in March 2025. And the move was expected – Samsung promised four -year OS and five -year security updates – it still looks like the end of an era.

The Galaxy S20 Ultra was not just another phone. This was Samsung’s first true statement that things were about to change – to a great extent.

In early 2020, Samsung made a major announcement: this note and S-series, two of its two most premium smartphone lines will merge. The Galaxy S20 Ultra was the first tool to embrace that vision. It was not marketed as a note, but for all practical purposes, it was one. Large, bold and packed with all possible facilities, it marked the beginning of Samsung’s new major philosophy – a one that continues to shape the company’s ultra phone even today.

With the Galaxy S20 Ultra, Samsung introduced the “Ultra” tag, and in doing so, the maximalist shut down a new era of smartphones. From the 108-megapixel camera to 10x optical zoom, glasses were adventurous. At the time of launch, it was opposite anything on the market. It was not just about numbers – Ultra delivery where it matured, especially for enthusiasts of mobile photography.

Earlier, “Ultra” in the Samsung dictionary meant something different. In fact, in 2006, Samsung launched the ultra edition line-phones that were ultra-slim and minimalize. The standout was X820, which is famously called the world’s thinnest phone, then back 6.9 mm. The Galaxy S20 Ultra, however, was quite opposite – chunky, heavy and immorally large.

With a 6.9 inch display, the S20 Ultra felt almost like a tablet in your hand. Five years ago in our quick review, we said that it was “a little too big for a phone,” and it is still true. But it had an audience – especially among the loyal note users who preferred large screens and stylus support. The ultra series was Samsung’s way to ensure that those users were not left behind.

It is worth remembering that Galaxy S20 Ultra has also set tone for many trends which we are now given in the flagship smartphone. First, it laid the foundation of the smartphone with the top-tier camera system. Today, we see the phone from Oppo, Vivo, Xiaomi, and Motorola Flaunting “Ultra” or “Pro” and claim a multi-camera setup with high megapixel count. This trend certainly began with S20 Ultra.

It also played a role in normalizing expensive flagship smartphones. At the launch, the Galaxy S20 Ultra cost Rs 97,999 – a figure that raised a lot of eyebrows in 2020. We noted in our Galaxy S20 Ultra Review: “As a package, Galaxy S20 Ultra is everything and you will need more than a phone. Conversely, its competition then – OnePlus 8 Pro and Mi 10 – offered many similar features at very low prices. However, S20 Ultra captured the phone with time, S20 Ultra captured the phone with time and, 1 lakh rupees Have become common from

Another notable change with S20 Ultra was Samsung’s chip strategy. Historically, Samsung sent its flagship with Qualcomm Snapdragon processor in the US and exinos chips in markets such as India and Europe. But with S20 Ultra, even some American units were sent with Exynos 990. This marked a period when Samsung determined to prove his in-house chips that he could match or even improve Qualcomm’s offerings. While that particular decision did not have a good age – Exynos 990 criticized for performance and thermal issues – it was a bold step, yet.

Since the S20 Ultra, Samsung has refined the ultra line with every repetition. From S21 Ultra to the latest S25 Ultra, performance quality, camera performance, battery life and S Pen have been tangible improvements in integration. But in many ways, the core design has been largely unchanged. Large-scale slabs-like construction, stylus-friendly approach, and triple or quad-camera setup-it began with all S20 Ultra.

This is why the end of software support seems like a formal farewell – the moment we accept that the Galaxy S20 Ultra has reached the end of its journey. But this is also entitled to a moment of celebration. It was a device that changed the way to view Android flagship. It challenged the conferences, sprinkled the design trends, and proved that there is always place on top to a phone to redefine the rest.

Today, as Samsung has carried the boundaries forward with foldables and AI-operated features, it is easy to forget how we reach here. But a look at the Galaxy S20 Ultra is a reminder that innovation does not always mean radical reinvestment – sometimes, it is only about completing the extremes. S20 Ultra cannot be supported, but it has certainly earned its place in the Hall of Fame of Android Flagship. And if you ask me, that heritage is created to last.