Samsung is at it again. The world’s No. 1 smartphone vendor has started rolling out the February 2023 Android security patch to its Galaxy devices before Google details the new patch. The latest security update is currently available for the Galaxy Note 20 series, with other eligible Galaxy devices to follow soon.
As of this writing, Samsung is rolling out the February SMR (Security Maintenance Release) to the 5G models of the Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy Note 20 Ultra in Switzerland. The updated firmware version for the phones in the region is N98*BXXS5GWB1 (via). The package doesn’t contain anything apart from the latest vulnerability fixes. This update should soon reach the Galaxy Note 20 duo in other European countries as well as the rest of the world, including the US. Samsung should also update the 4G models to the new security patch in the coming weeks.
The Galaxy Note 20 phones are the first to receive the February 2023 security update
As said earlier, Google has yet to detail the content of the February 2023 security release for Android devices. As such, we don’t know the number of vulnerabilities patched, and their severity. But as usual, we should be getting several dozen privacy and security fixes with a few critical ones. Samsung will bundle these ASB (Android Security Bulletin) patches with some Galaxy-specific fixes. The company will publish details about those after Google does. We will keep an eye on both official websites and let you know once the companies publish their respective security patches for the current month.
Meanwhile, if you’re using the Galaxy Note 20 or Galaxy Note 20 Ultra in Europe, the latest update should be available to you anytime now. You can navigate to Settings > Software update on your phone and tap on Download and install to check for updates manually. If you see an update, follow the on-screen instructions to complete it. If no update is available, wait a few days and check again. Your phone may send a notification once the OTA (over-the-air) update is available. Galaxy Note 20 users in other regions can also look forward to receiving this update soon.
Over the next few weeks, Samsung will release the February SMR to several other Galaxy devices, including the newly-launched Galaxy S23 series and its predecessor Galaxy S22. The company will also update a host of budget and mid-range devices to the latest security patch. We will keep you posted with all of those updates.