Samsung might be hard at work readying the One UI 6.0 update for Galaxy devices, but it hasn’t forgotten to roll out monthly security patches. Following the Galaxy Z Fold 5, Galaxy Z Flip 5, Galaxy S22, and Galaxy A54, the company is now pushing the October security update to the Galaxy S21 series. Like the rest of the devices, the 2021 Galaxy flagships are also initially getting the update in the US. A global rollout should follow in the coming days.
Samsung’s October update reaches the Galaxy S21 in the US
As of this writing, the October SMR (Security Maintenance Release) is available for the carrier-locked variants of the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, and Galaxy S21 Ultra in the US. The update comes with the firmware build number G991USQS9EWI2. We can confirm its availability for users on Dish, T-Mobile, and Sprint networks. Samsung will soon expand the rollout to other networks. Unlocked units should also get the latest security patch shortly.
The official changelog supplied by the Korean behemoth confirms that this update doesn’t bring anything notable to the Galaxy S21 trio. It’s all about this month’s security patches, which we will discuss in detail later in this article. Samsung isn’t pushing any new features to the phones. That was expected considering that One UI 6.0 is nearing a stable release. The new One UI version brings Android 14 to the Galaxy family, introducing tons of new features.
Nonetheless, the October update has a lot to talk about. Samsung’s latest SMR patches a total of 46 security vulnerabilities across the entire Galaxy lineup. Some of these are critical patches, while others are less severe issues. The company says 12 security flaws patched this month are exclusive to Galaxy devices. These vulnerabilities don’t exist on Android products from other brands.
If you’re using a Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, or Galaxy S21 Ultra in the US, all of these security patches will be available to your phone with the latest update, Watch out for a notification prompting you to download the update over the air (OTA). You can also manually check for OTA updates on your Galaxy. Go to the Settings app, scroll down to the Software update menu, and tap on Download and install. If there’s no update available, check again later.
The One UI 6.0 update may roll out later this month
Samsung is currently testing the One UI 6.0 update among the public. It’s running beta programs for the Galaxy S23, Galaxy S22, Galaxy S21, the latest foldables, and a couple of Galaxy A series mid-range models. The stable version is expected to be available later this month, at least for the Galaxy S23 series. Others could follow in early November. We will keep you posted on the updates.