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The August 2021 Android security update is now available for Samsung‘s Galaxy S21 series on AT&T and T-Mobile. The rollout follows the initial release for the Verizon units some three weeks ago. Unlocked Galaxy S21 models also received the latest security update a couple of weeks back.
The new SMR (security maintenance release) for the Galaxy S21 series on AT&T and T-Mobile is rolling out with firmware version G99xUSQU4AUGQ. As per T-Mobile’s official changelog (via Android Police), this update contains some “additional improvements” apart from this month’s vulnerability fixes. The company, unfortunately, doesn’t go into detail about what exactly has been improved. Perhaps it’s referring to those minor optimizations that most software updates contain.
Nonetheless, there’s plenty to talk about when it comes to vulnerability fixes though. As detailed by Samsung earlier this month, the August SMR contains fixes for over 40 security flaws found in Android OS as well as its custom Android skin, i.e. One UI. These include a couple of high-risk vulnerabilities and eight Samsung Vulnerabilities and Exposures (SVE) items. SVEs are security flaws specific to Samsung devices.
So it’s quite an important update and, thankfully, it’s now available for most Galaxy S21 users. If you’re using one of the latest Samsung flagships either on AT&T or T-Mobile’s network (including Sprint), you can expect a new update over the air (OTA) anytime now if you haven’t already received it.
Updating your Samsung phone’s software isn’t a tedious task and you might already know the drill. You should receive a notification prompting you to download the OTA file once it becomes available for your phone. If you mistakenly cleared the notification or never received it, you can simply navigate to Settings >> Software update >> Download and install to check for the update manually. If there’s an OTA update available, you’ll be prompted to download it on the next screen.
Samsung is rapidly expanding the August security update to more devices
As has been the story for several months now, Samsung was the first OEM to release the August security patch to its devices. The rollout began in the last week of July and has continued till now. Over the past four weeks, the company has pushed the new SMR to dozens of Galaxy smartphones and tablets.
Along with flagship models, a bunch of mid-rangers and budget handsets have also now received the August update. Galaxy A31, Galaxy A71 5G, and many others joined the party in recent days. And while the August update continues to roll out to more and more Galaxy devices, it shouldn’t be surprising if we see Samsung release the September security patch by the end of this week. We will let you know as soon as the Korean firm begins rolling out next month’s security update.