Samsung Clarifies Security Update Timeline for Select Devices

Samsung has clarified its security update timeline for some of its smartphones and tablets. The company categorises its devices under three sections in terms of security updates – monthly, quarterly, and biannual. The biannual security updates section was previously called other regular security updates, according to a report, which didn’t really clarify the timeline for when the phones in this category will receive updates. Now that the category has been changes to biannual, it means that the phones under this category will get security updates twice a year.

Samsung segregates its phones under three categories for when they will receive security updates. The first is monthly security updates which includes its flagship smartphones like the Galaxy Fold, Galaxy Z Fold 2, Galaxy Z Flip, Galaxy S21 series, Galaxy S20 series, and more. The second category is for quarterly security updates which includes phones like the Samsung Galaxy S8 series (except Galaxy S8 Lite), several Galaxy A-series phones, Galaxy M-series phones, and more. The third category, according to a report by Gizmochina, that was called other regular updates has now been changed to biannual security updates.

This means the phones in this category will receive security updates twice a year. These include the Galaxy S8 Lite, Galaxy A6-series phones, Galaxy A8 series, Galaxy J series, and more. The company added that the list of smartphones in this category will be reviewed periodically and is subject to change. It also points out that at times updates may be delayed but whenever they release, up-to-date security patches will be present.

Samsung has been quite efficient with releasing updates for it phones especially the mid-tier to flagship segment. The Galaxy M31s recently received Android 11-based One UI 3.1. Before that, the Samsung Galaxy M51 and Galaxy S10 Lite got Android 11 based One UI 3.1. Further, the company announced last month that it will offer a minimum of four years of firmware security updates for select devices that launched in 2019 or later.

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