Samsung Surprises Millions Of Users With Android Update Decision

This replace resolution comes as a shock.

AFP by way of Getty Pictures

Up to date on Dec. 5 as Samsung begins to deploy its important new replace.

Samsung has taken greater than its fair proportion of criticism in current months on the improve and replace fronts. One UI 8 and now One UI 8.5 beta delays and a month-to-month safety replace that seems overly advanced to customers — customers whose telephones are out of motion for a protracted time once they do replace, given the shortage of seamless updates.

However right here’s some excellent news. Per SammyFans, “Samsung has shocked Galaxy S21 customers with one other software program replace.” These are five-year-old units which have now been relegated from month-to-month to quarterly updates. “However Samsung has now launched three updates in simply over three months.” And these are safety fixes that matter.

The Galaxy S21’s newest firmware launch “installs the November 2025 safety patch, which improves system safety and stability to supply a greater Galaxy expertise.”

ForbesSamsung One UI 8.5 Release—This Changes AndroidBy Zak Doffman

A kind of enhancements higher protects the fingerprint sensor, stopping “unauthorized entry.” One other is very topical, enhancing the safety of wired USB connections, which has change into a significant focus over current months.

The USB protection “helps defend the telephone when plugging it into completely different units or chargers,” which defends towards the controversial menace from juice jacking. That is when a public charging level is definitely a pc, stealing data unlocked devices.

That’s topical as a result of it’s vacation season, which suggests airports, lodges and response. Public charging factors — similar to public Wi-Fi — turns into a a lot larger deal.

Per SammyGuru, “the replace is now stay in Europe, carrying the firmware construct model HYK1. It improves general gadget safety and system stability, making certain a smoother and extra dependable expertise. Samsung beforehand revealed that the November 2025 SMR addresses over 40 vulnerabilities throughout the Galaxy lineup.”

These telephones could also be getting patched, however they’re not getting upgraded. They’ve reached the top of the highway on that entrance. Whereas it’s excellent news that safety fixes are coming early, this received’t persist for lengthy. If in case you have considered one of these telephones, you must actually improve to one thing newer that will get month-to-month updates as regular, not by exception.

In the meantime, the extra important December safety replace has additionally began to deploy. Per SammyFans, the Galaxy-maker “has now began rolling it out for one of many widespread Galaxy A collection smartphones, the Galaxy A34 5G.”

December’s replace is big. There are greater than 100 fixes throughout core Android and Samsung particular platforms. Extra importantly, Google and CISA warn that two of the vulnerabilities patched this month are below lively assault. As such, for a Galaxy gadget to be thought-about safe, it must obtain December’s replace as nicely.

ForbesAndroid Warning—New Attack Unlocks Your Phone And Steals Your TextsBy Zak Doffman

Simply as we noticed in November, “Samsung can also be specializing in offering the newest safety patch this month for mid-range units as a substitute of flagships first.”

SammyGuru says the identical. “We will affirm the provision of this month’s safety upkeep launch (SMR) for the Galaxy S34 5G in Indonesia. The replace arrives with the firmware construct model A346EXXSBEYK3 and doesn’t deliver something greater than the newest safety fixes. The gadget is already working One UI 8.”

No phrase but whether or not the Galaxy S21 will get this new replace as nicely. To be frank, if it doesn’t, then it doesn’t matter it has November’s fixes, it would nonetheless be in danger.