Samsung last week started rolling out the May 2022 Android security patch to the Galaxy S21 series in the US. The initial rollout was limited to the carrier-locked variants of the phones. Their unlocked counterparts are now receiving the new security update as well. The latest SMR (Security Maintenance Release) is also rolling out to the Galaxy Z Fold 2 in the US.
Users of unlocked Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, and Galaxy S21 Ultra are receiving the May SMR with firmware version G99*U1UEU5CVDC. The OTA (over the air) rollout has already reached devices on all major wireless networks in the US. The remaining few carriers will also join the party soon.
Along with this month’s security fixes, the Galaxy S21 trio should also be getting new features and improvements with this update. While we don’t have a changelog handy to confirm that, the carrier-locked units received several new camera features that Samsung originally debuted on the Galaxy S22 phones. Among other things, we have an improved night portrait, auto framing for video recording and video calls, and improved photo quality for third-party camera apps.
These new additions will significantly boost the photography prowess of your Galaxy S21. Samsung has also promised to roll out the new camera features to other older eligible devices, including the likes of the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy Note 10. We will let you know when the rollout for other devices begins.
Galaxy Z Fold 2 also gets the May security update in the US
Samsung is also now rolling out the May security update to the Galaxy Z Fold 2 in the US. Users of both carrier-locked and unlocked units are receiving the new SMR. The new firmware version is F916USQS2GVD2 and F916U1UES2GVD2 for the two variants, respectively.
Unfortunately, the 2020 foldable model isn’t yet picking up any of the Galaxy S22 camera features. Samsung says it will get the improved night portrait, auto framing, and some new video call effects. The new additions will likely roll out with a subsequent software update. We will keep you posted.
In the meantime, you should now be able to download the May SMR on your Galaxy Z Fold 2 or Galaxy S21 in the US if you haven’t already. The latest security patch fixes more than 50 vulnerabilities, including a few critical ones. You will get a notification once the OTA update reaches your unit. You can also manually check for updates from the Settings app.
2022-05-17 15:05:34