Great news for owners of the Samsung Galaxy S22 lineup! Although Samsung has officially ended the major software update cycle for these devices, the enthusiast community is giving them a second life. The Galaxy S22, S22 Plus, and S22 Ultra now have official LineageOS support, opening the door to future Android versions.
LineageOS 23: New Hope for the S22
According to foreign sources, LineageOS 23 is already available in nightly builds for all Galaxy S22 models. This version is currently based on Android 16. But that’s not all! Since Android 17 has already been released, we can expect LineageOS builds based on it to appear in the coming months. This means Galaxy S22 users could upgrade to a newer Android version even though Samsung has stopped official support.
End of Official Support and Alternative Paths
Samsung launched the Galaxy S22 series in 2022. While the devices still handle everyday tasks well, official One UI updates are no longer forthcoming. One UI 8.5 is likely the last significant update, and One UI 9 will not support these models. This situation is reminiscent of earlier controversies, including the lawsuit over the Game Optimization Service (GOS) that throttled device performance.
Unlike newer Samsung models that receive up to seven years of software support, the Galaxy S22 was not included in the extended support window. However, thanks to an active LineageOS community, users can continue to extend the lifespan of their devices and enjoy the latest operating system versions.
Xpert Take
The emergence of LineageOS support for the Galaxy S22 highlights the growing importance of community‑driven projects in extending device longevity. As manufacturers shorten official support periods, open‑source firmware offers a viable path for users who want security updates and new features without buying new hardware. This trend could pressure OEMs to reconsider their support policies or risk losing customers to more flexible alternatives.
