Samsung started distributing the November Android security update for the Galaxy Note 8 in Europe only a few days after introducing the same software package to unlocked units of its latest phablet in India. Even some of the company’s wireless carrier partners on the Old Continent already optimized and began rolling out the update to flagships on their network, with Vodafone reportedly introducing the new firmware in Ireland and Germany. Some unlocked versions of the Galaxy Note 8 have been confirmed as recently receiving the November security patch in the Netherlands and France, suggesting that a wider rollout has already commenced.
According to initial reports, the update only appears to contain Google and Samsung’s security fixes and doesn’t ship with Live Focus camera tweaks that the phone maker introduced in the United States and Taiwan last week. That particular update is still expected to reach Galaxy Note 8 units in Europe over the coming weeks, much like Samsung’s previous camera update for the phablet took nearly a month before being available on a global level. As is usually the case with Android security patches, Samsung is distributing the November update as an over-the-air (OTA) download that’s rolling out in stages, so even users in countries that have already been confirmed to have started receiving the patch may have to wait until later this month before they’re able to download the software. Galaxy Note 8 owners that are feeling impatient may attempt to trigger the download manually by scanning for the new update from the system Settings app which will initiate the installation procedure if the firmware is already available in their territory. As always, make sure your device has at least 50 percent of battery charge left before initiating the download so as to avoid any potentially harmful interruptions.
The Galaxy Note 8 is expected to be one of the best-selling smartphones over this year’s holiday season and help Samsung end 2017 in a highly positive manner. The company‘s next high-end Android lineup is expected to be unveiled early next year and come in the form of the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus, whereas the foldable Galaxy X is also rumored for a Q1 2018 launch.