Samsung is currently rolling out the August 2021 security update to a huge list of Android devices including Galaxy S, Note, A and more.
Android updates are still not perfect, but we’re seeing things improve year over year. Samsung has accumulated a stellar update track record as of late and is now among the best in the business when it comes to rolling out prompt Android updates. Now, the company is rolling out the August 2021 security update to its Samsung Galaxy lineup. Here’s the full list. Samsung actually started the rollout of its August 2021 security update early on July 27, almost a full week before the first Monday of July when Google usually releases the list of core security issues that this patch fixes. For Galaxy owners, it’s a major bonus to be among the first Android phones to start receiving software fixes and one of the biggest reasons to choose a Samsung phone period. At this stage, no new features are being added with this patch. That might be especially disappointing given that previous updates have included added camera options and wider software tweaks for select Galaxy hardware. Alas, no such luck this time around. Which Samsung devices are getting the August 2021 security update? The list from Samsung is, pretty light right now but will expand quickly. As of July 30, Samsung is already rolling out monthly patches to four devices — which is still impressive given we’re early into a new month. As the lead flagship series for Samsung and among the biggest global sellers, it should come as no surprise that devices such as the Galaxy S21 series would be among the first to get the August 2021 security update. Galaxy S21 units in Chinese markets were first to see the OTA update with a further rollout to Exynos-powered global units just a few days later on August 4 starting with Germany follow by a first foray into the US with Xfinity-locked devices but has now seeded to unlocked models as of August 11. The updates carry slightly different firmware build numbers, as the Chinese variant does come without GMS or Play Store access. The fantastic budget flagship Galaxy S20 FE was next up in the Galaxy S series to get updated with the August 2021 security patch. Rolling out in a number of European nations, the patch is rolling out for the 4G-only Exynos models and now the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 versions of the Galaxy S20 FE from August 11 with a wider rollout in the US on T-Mobile from August 31. Hard to be considered a flagship device, the Galaxy S9 received the August 2021 security patch with a rollout in Europe as part of the quarterly update schedule but for those in the US on T-Mobile, the update started appearing from August 14. Samsung’s affordable flagship Galaxy S10 Lite began seeing the latest security patch from August 6, with the rollout beginning in Spain for the late-2019 device. Frustratingly for those with the Galaxy S10e, S10, and S10+ the August 2021 security patch has started rolling out from August 23 to Exynos devices. The last Galaxy S series device to come with a 3.5mm headphone port and the only S-series smartphone to include a dual punch hole is still a great device. In the US, the rollout of the August patch for the Galaxy S10 series has been fairly slow thus far but for those with carrier-locked versions of the previous generation can grab the OTA update on Xfinity Mobile and Comcast in the region as of September 1. The only 5G version of the Galaxy S10 series is the aptly named Galaxy S10 5G, which comes with the superfast network connectivity as standard courtesy of the X50 modem — as it’s packed the 4G-only Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chip.
