Samsung Galaxy
Series of Android smartphones, mobile computing device and Android applications
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Samsung Galaxy (Korean: 삼성 갤럭시; branded in Japan from 2015 to 2023 only as Galaxy[2]) is a series of mobile computing devices designed, manufactured, and marketed by Samsung Electronics since 2009.
Logo used since 2015 | |
 Samsung Galaxy S26 series, the most recent flagship models of the Samsung Galaxy S series | |
| Manufacturer | Samsung Electronics |
|---|---|
| Type | Smartphone Tablet Smartwatch Earbuds Laptop Fitness tracker Mixed-reality headset |
| Released | June 29, 2009 |
| Units sold | Over 3 billion Galaxy smartphones (as of May 2025)[1] |
| Operating system | Android Tizen Microsoft Windows ChromeOS (Chromebook only) |
| System on a chip | Samsung Exynos Qualcomm Snapdragon MediaTek UNISOC Intel Core (for laptops) |
![](#/media/File:Samsung_Galaxy_logo_("Galaxy"_logo_only).svg){kind=logo}
The product line includes the Galaxy S series of high-end smartphones, the Galaxy Z series of foldable smartphones, the Galaxy A, M, and F series of mid-range and budget smartphones, the Galaxy Tab series of tablets, and the Galaxy Watch series of smartwatches. The Galaxy TabPro S is the first Samsung Galaxy-branded Windows 10 device that was announced at CES 2016. In 2020, Samsung added the Galaxy Chromebook 2-in-1 laptop running ChromeOS to the Galaxy branding lineup.[3] The Samsung Galaxy XR, first released on 21 October 2025, is one of the first major extended-reality devices to feature the Android XR operating system.
Samsung Galaxy devices come with a user interface called One UI (with previous versions being known as Samsung Experience and TouchWiz).
The Samsung Galaxy series arguably brought Android into mainstream popularity in the early 2010s and with their smartphones.[4][5]
History
The Samsung Galaxy was launched in June 2009 as Samsung's first Android powered device. At the time, the brand's flagship smartphone was the Samsung Omnia and its successor, powered by Windows Mobile.[6] Omnia had been the second full-touch Samsung device running the TouchWiz user interface (after the Tocco), but the Galaxy had an unmodified Android interface; the TouchWiz UI made its way to the Galaxy series with the Galaxy S.[7] The Galaxy S and its successor Galaxy S II became very successful, eclipsing the company's other lines and operating systems.[8] During the decade, the Galaxy phones "became the company's most-praised products [and] also were among the best-selling smartphones in the world."[9]
Lineup
Current
| Series | Description |
|---|---|
| Smartphones | |
| Galaxy S | flagship phones also serving as the successors to the cell phones, which from 2006 to 2009 were branded as Samsung Ultra Edition. |
| Galaxy Z | flagship foldable phones/devices, debuted in 2019 |
| Samsung W | luxury-based foldable devices (based on Galaxy Z series), primarily sold in China |
| Galaxy XCover | rugged business phones which have low-end specifications but with stronger build quality and durability, smartphone counterpart of Galaxy Tab Active |
| Galaxy A | mid-range phones, also includes entry-level phones, budget phones (formerly premium mid-range phones prior to 2023) |
| Galaxy M | a slightly more budget-friendly, online-exclusive alternative from the Galaxy A series |
| Galaxy F | also a Galaxy A series alternative, but sold in developing countries |
| Galaxy C | premium mid-range versions of the Galaxy F series sold in Asian markets. Succeeded by the premium mid-range Galaxy A series devices |
| Galaxy Buddy | low-end devices based on the Galaxy A1x series sold primarily in South Korea by LG U+ |
| Galaxy Jump | Mid-range devices based on select Galaxy M and Galaxy A models, sold primarily in South Korea |
| Galaxy Wide | low-end devices based on Galaxy A, F and M series, sold primarily in South Korea by SK Telecom |
| Galaxy Quantum | premium mid-range devices based on Galaxy A and M series, sold primarily in South Korea by SK Telecom |
| Tablets | |
| Galaxy Tab S | mid-range to flagship tablets |
| Galaxy Tab A | low-end to mid-range tablets |
| Galaxy Tab Active | mid-range rugged tablets |
| Wearables | |
| Galaxy Watch | Wear OS-based smartwatches |
| Galaxy Fit | activity trackers positioned below the Galaxy Watch line |
| Galaxy XR | extended-reality headsets |
| Galaxy Buds | wireless earbuds, successor to the Gear Icon line of earbuds[10] |
| Laptops | |
| Galaxy Book | lineup of laptops and 2-in-1 PCs running Windows |
| Galaxy Chromebook | lineup of Chromebooks made by Samsung |
Discontinued
Samsung released multiple series of its devices, often overlapping with each other. Some of these series were dropped.
| Series | Description | Replacement series |
|---|---|---|
| Smartphones | ||
| Galaxy Note | devices with a large screen and a built-in stylus, discontinued in 2021 | Galaxy S Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold series |
| Galaxy Neo | refreshed versions of older Galaxy models with newer hardware but lower specs compared to the original models, discontinued in 2017 | Lite versions of S10 and Note 10, Fan Edition (FE)[11] models |
| Galaxy S Active | rugged versions of base-model S series, discontinued in 2018 | Galaxy XCover |
| Galaxy S Mini | mid-range versions of base-model S series, discontinued in 2014 | Galaxy Alpha and later the Galaxy A series |
| Galaxy J | entry-level devices touted as a replacement for the Galaxy Core, Grand, E, Ace, Trend and Y lines; discontinued in 2019 | merged with the Galaxy A series[12][13][14] |
| Galaxy On | online-exclusive mid-range phones based on the Galaxy J series, discontinued in 2019 | Galaxy M series[15] |
| Galaxy Grand | mid-range devices that replaced the Galaxy R family, discontinued in 2016 as original models but continued production as rebranded models of Galaxy J series until 2019 | merged with the Galaxy A series |
| Galaxy E | low-end devices, discontinued in 2016 | Galaxy J series |
| Galaxy Core | low-end devices, discontinued in 2016 | Galaxy J series |
| Galaxy Trend | low-end devices, discontinued in 2016 | Galaxy J series |
| Galaxy Ace | low-end to mid-range devices, discontinued in 2015 | Galaxy J series |
| Galaxy Y | low-end devices, discontinued in 2015 | Galaxy J series |
| Galaxy Mega | large phablets that lacked the S Pen | Galaxy S series |
| Galaxy Pocket | small devices, discontinued in 2015 | |
| Galaxy Camera | camera phones, discontinued in 2014 | |
| Galaxy Beam | phones with built-in projectors, discontinued in 2014 | |
| Galaxy Mini | small devices, discontinued in 2013 | Galaxy Pocket series and Galaxy Y series |
| Galaxy R | mid-range devices, discontinued in 2012 | Galaxy Grand |
| Tablets | ||
| Galaxy Tab series sold before 2017 | included the Tab 7.0, Tab 8.9, Tab 10.1, Tab Education, Tab Pro, Tab Note and Tab E | Galaxy Tab A, Galaxy Tab S |
| Wearables | ||
| Galaxy Gear | lineup of wearable devices that included headsets, earbuds, smartwatches and activity trackers; Gear-branded earbuds discontinued in 2017 and the rest of the product lineup was discontinued in 2019 | Galaxy Watch (smartwatches), Galaxy Buds (earbuds), Galaxy Fit (activity trackers), Galaxy XR (successor to Gear VR) |
| Galaxy Watch Active | variants of base model Galaxy Watches that focused more on fitness and wellness | merged with the base models in 2021 starting with the Galaxy Watch 4 |
Other devices
Phones
- Samsung Galaxy [2009]
- Samsung Galaxy Spica [2009]
- Samsung Beam i8520 [2009]
- Samsung Galaxy U [2010]
- Samsung Galaxy Neo [2010]
- Samsung Galaxy Pro [2011]
- Samsung Galaxy Precedent [2011]
- Samsung Galaxy Rush [2011]
- Samsung Galaxy 5 [2011]
- Samsung Galaxy W [2011]
- Samsung Galaxy Fit [2011]
- Samsung Galaxy Gio [2011]
- Samsung Galaxy Prevail [2011]
- Galaxy Nexus [2011]
- Samsung Galaxy Discover [2012]
- Samsung Galaxy M Style [2012]
- Samsung Galaxy Reverb [2012]
- Samsung Galaxy Stellar [2012]
- Samsung Galaxy Appeal [2012]
- Samsung Galaxy Victory [2012]
- Samsung Galaxy Express [2012]
- Samsung Galaxy Express 2 [2013]
- Samsung Galaxy Fame [2013]
- Samsung Galaxy Star [2013]
- Samsung Galaxy Win [2013]
- Samsung Galaxy Win Pro [2013]
- Samsung Galaxy Star Pro [2013]
- Samsung Galaxy Fame Lite [2013]
- Samsung Galaxy Round [2013]
- Samsung Galaxy Light [2013]
- Samsung Galaxy V [2014]
- Samsung Galaxy Avant [2014]
- Samsung Galaxy W [2014]
- Samsung Galaxy V Plus [2015]
- Samsung Galaxy V2 [2016]
- Samsung Galaxy K Zoom [2014]
- Samsung Galaxy Folder [2015]
- Samsung Galaxy Active Neo [2015]
- Samsung Galaxy Folder 2 [2017]
- Samsung Galaxy Feel [2017]
- Samsung Galaxy Feel2 [2019]
Media player
Cameras
Projectors
Software
Samsung Galaxy smartphones run the Android operating system under the Google Mobile Services platform, however Samsung and third-parties have bundled various other software in them too. The TouchWiz interface was used until 2017, replaced by Samsung Experience. This was then replaced by One UI in 2019.
The company has created many apps and services under the Galaxy brand specifically for these devices - many of which come preloaded - including the Galaxy Store which provides apps and customizations. Since late 2019, several Microsoft apps like Outlook also come preloaded[16] on Galaxy as a result of a Samsung-Microsoft partnership.[17][16]
Security
Samsung has been caught quietly installing an Israeli bloatware application known as AppCloud in its phone lineup, in particular, the West Asian and North African regions.[citation needed] This app is known for collecting large amounts of sensitive personal data, without a chance to opt-out or uninstall the app without achieving root access due to it falling under the system app umbrella. This process of gaining root access would trip the Samsung Knox E-fuse and void the warranty in the event this is achieved by use of bootloader unlocking, which has recently become impossible on all Samsung devices running OneUI 8 or above, as the code for unlocking the bootloader has been completely stripped from not only the settings app, but also the bootloader itself.[18][19]
Interoperability
Samsung have made several tools for making various Galaxy devices like phones, tablets and watches, work closer together. Samsung Flow is a feature allowing content to be synced with a PC, such as notifications, replying to messages and authenticating from a PC, and sharing content.[20] It was announced in November 2014,[21] released in a preview form in May 2015[22] and final released in May 2016.[23] Microsoft's Phone Link also comes on Galaxy smartphones since 2019.[17]
Another feature named Multi Control allows controlling of a Galaxy smartphone with a Galaxy Book keyboard and mouse, and drag and drop files between them.[24] Device Control is another feature in the quick panel that can control SmartThings and other devices.[25]
Release history
The following is a table showing the full initial release history of every Galaxy device since 2009.
Regional firmware variants
Region locking and CSC codes
Starting from the Galaxy Note 3, Samsung phones and tablets contained a warning label stating that it would only operate with SIM cards from the region the phone was sold in.[77] A spokesperson clarified the policy, stating that it was intended to prevent grey-market reselling, and that it only applied to the first SIM card inserted.[78] For devices to use a SIM card from other regions, one of the following actions totaling five minutes or longer in length must first be performed with the SIM card from the local region:[79][80]
- Make calls on the phone or watch from the Samsung Phone app[79][80]
- Use the Call and Text on Other Devices feature to make calls
With the launch of the Galaxy S8 series in 2017, that process has changed. Due to the fact that many variants use a Multi-CSC, it will only work with SIM cards from the same CSC group. For example, an AT&T SIM card will not work on cellular-based Galaxy devices sold in Europe and other countries.
Model numbers
Since September 2013, model numbers of devices in the Samsung Galaxy series are in the "SM-ABCDE" format (excluding the Galaxy J SC-02F, Galaxy Centura SCH-S738C, and SGH-N075T), where A is the model series, B is the device class, C is the generation, D is the device type, and E is the country/region that is made for (if applicable). Prior to September 2013, the model numbers were in the "GT-XXXXX" format; they were also in the "SCH-XXXX", "SGH-XXXX", "SPH-XXXX" and "SHV/SHW-XXXX" formats.[81][82]
Model Series (A)
Current
| Model Series | Assigned devices |
|---|---|
| Phones | |
| SM-Sxxx | Galaxy S series devices since S22[83] |
| SM-Fxxx | Galaxy Z series model[84] |
| SM-Gxxx | Galaxy Xcover series model[85] |
| SM-Axxx | Galaxy A series model[86] |
| SM-Mxxx | Galaxy M series model |
| SM-Exxx | Galaxy F series model[87] |
| Tablets | |
| SM-Xxxx | Tab A (from Tab A8), Tab S (from Tab S8 series), and Tab Active (from Tab Active 5) |
Former
| Model Series | Assigned devices |
|---|---|
| Phones | |
| SM-Sxxx | Galaxy S4/S5, Galaxy J, A, and other similar devices sold from TracFone[88][89] |
| SM-Fxxx | older F series models |
| SM-Gxxx | Galaxy S series devices (select Galaxy S3 mini models, then from S5 to S21) Ace, Grand, Round, Core, Trend, Alpha, Wide, Mega 2, Pocket 2, Star 2, Young 2, On models some J series Prime model or A series Star models |
| SM-Nxxx | Note models |
| SM-Jxxx | J series models |
| SM-Exxx | E series models |
| GT-Sxxx2 SM-Gxxx2 SM-Gxxx/DS SM-Gxxx/DD |
Dual-SIM "Galaxy Duos" model |
| GT-Nxxx0 GT-Nxxx5 |
Galaxy Note 1 and 2 (International 3G/4G, respectively)[90] |
| GT-Ixxx0 GT-Ixxx5 |
Galaxy S4 and earlier models (International 3G/4G LTE, respectively) |
| GT-Ixxx3 | Unlocked Galaxy S4 and earlier models (US/Canada) |
| SGH | GSM handset for US[91] |
| SPH | Sprint handset[92] |
| SCH | Verizon/US Cellular handset[93] |
| SHV/SHW | Korean handset[94] |
| Tablets | |
| SM-Txx0/1/5/6 | Tab 3 to Tab A7 Lite, Tab Active 4, Tab S7 series |
| SM-Pxx0/5 | mainstream Tab models with built-in S Pen stylus (Note 10.1 2014, Tab A 10.1, etc.) |
| SM-Wxxx | Microsoft Windows model (i.e., Galaxy Book) |
| GT-Nxx00 GT-Pxx20 |
older mainstream Tab models with built-in S Pen stylus (Note 8.0 and 10.1, 3G/4G LTE respectively) |
| GT-Nxx10 | older mainstream Tab models with built-in S Pen stylus (Note 8.0 and 10.1, Wi-Fi)[95] |
| GT-Pxx00 GT-Pxx20 |
older mainstream Tab models (Tab 1 to Tab 3, 3G/4G LTE respectively) |
| GT-Pxx13 | older mainstream Tab models (Tab 1 to Tab 3, US/Canada Wi-Fi) |
| GT-Pxx10 | older mainstream Tab models (Tab 1 to Tab 3, International Wi-Fi) |
| GT-Sxxx5 GT-Nxxx5 GT-Pxxx5 GT-Ixxx5 SM-NxxxF SM-Txx5 SM-GxxxF |
4G/LTE models |
Regions (E)
| Letter/Number | Market/Region |
|---|---|
| Unlocked variants | |
| B | International 5G |
| C | China mainland (tablets) |
| E | Asian |
| F | International LTE |
| H | International 3G (no longer in use) |
| M | Latin America |
| N | South Korea |
| Q | Japan (factory unlocked variant)[97] |
| W | Canada |
| U1 | USA (factory unlocked variant) |
| X | Live demo unit |
| 0 | China mainland (phones) |
| Note: Dual SIM models end with the /DS suffix | |
| Carrier-locked variants | |
| A | AT&T |
| AZ | Cricket |
| C | Rakuten Mobile (Japan) |
| D | NTT Docomo |
| J | au by KDDI |
| K | KT |
| L | LG Uplus |
| P | Sprint, Boost Mobile, Virgin Mobile |
| R4 | UScellular |
| S | SK Telecom |
| T | T-Mobile |
| T1 | Metro by T-Mobile (formerly MetroPCS) |
| U | USA carrier locked |
| V | Verizon |
| Z | SoftBank Mobile |
Firmware numbering
The following is a list of known firmware regions.
| Region | Code | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Korea | KS | Korea (phones) |
| KO | Korea (cellular tablets) | |
| XX | All Wi-Fi tablets | |
| India | IN | India (all phones) |
| Americas | SQ | USA (carrier locked phones) |
| UE | USA (carrier unlocked phones and Wi-Fi tablets), Canada (Wi-Fi tablets) | |
| VL | Canada (all variants except Wi-Fi tablets) | |
| UB | Latin America & Caribbean | |
| XX | All Wi-Fi tablets | |
| China | ZC | China mainland (all devices) |
| ZH | Hong Kong/Taiwan (all phones) | |
| XX | Hong Kong/Taiwan (all tablets) |
Over the Horizon
"Over the Horizon" is the trademark sound for Samsung smartphone devices, first introduced in 2011 on the Galaxy S II.[98][99] It was composed by Joong-sam Yun and appears as music in the music library of most Samsung phones released since 2011.[100][101] Prior to 2011, "Beyond Samsung" served as Samsung's trademark music track, while "Samsung Tune" was used as the default ringtone. The sound appears as the default ringtone, as well as the sound when the phone turns on or off (a snippet is used), and as a notification sound. While the basic composition of the six-note tune has not changed since its inception, various versions of different genres have been introduced as the product line evolved.[102]
While the first two versions were created in-house at Samsung, later versions were outsourced to external musicians. The sound has been covered by various popular artists who have released their own arrangements and remixes of the song, such as Quincy Jones, Icona Pop, Suga of BTS, and various K-pop artists.[103][104] In Samsung's U.S. registration of the trademark for the sound, it is described as "the sound of a bell playing a B4 dotted eighth note, a B4 sixteenth note, an F#5 sixteenth note, a B5 sixteenth note, an A#5 eighth note, and an F#5 half note".[105]
