Samsung and OPPO Roll Out Android 16 Updates as Phone Prices Set to Rise - October 2025

The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is now receiving its final major OS upgrade, the stable One UI 8 update based on Android 16, across East Africa including Kenya. Similarly, OPPO officially unveiled its ColorOS 16 for global devices on October 28, which is also built on Android 16 and scheduled for rollout from late 2025. In parallel with these software releases, the prices of budget and mid-range smartphones are set to increase. The price hike will affect models such as the Xiaomi Redmi and Samsung Galaxy A-series. This is due to a global shortage and escalating cost of general-purpose DRAM, driven by the booming demand for AI servers.