Samsung has begun sending out the newest Android security update for December 2021, which is included in the One UI 4.0 and Android 12 update for some Galaxy phones. The December 2021 update for Samsung Galaxy devices began rolling out soon before the new month, on November 30, a full week before Google issued comments on the Android upgrade, as is customary.
Security updates for December 2021
According to Google’s advisory, at least Android 12’s version of the December 2021 patch fixes 17 vulnerabilities, but we’ll have to wait for Samsung’s comments.
Meanwhile, until later in the month, Samsung usually keeps quiet about what’s new and fixed in each update, ensuring that security flaws go unnoticed until the remedies are more widely available on devices. However, some Samsung devices, such as the Galaxy Z Fold 3, will receive the December 2021 upgrade as part of a larger update to the Android 12-based One UI 4.0.
Samsung began handing out the latest security update before the month of December even began, though not as swiftly as in recent months. Samsung began rolling out the upgrade to some of its most costly phones, the Galaxy Z foldables, as is customary. The updates will also make SMS sharing more secure.
Devices to Receive the Update
For years, the Galaxy S series has been the must-have Android phone, functioning as one of Apple’s most powerful and popular competitors. Samsung prioritizes monthly updates for Galaxy S series smartphones over lower-end phones to honor the higher cost of purchasing a flagship phone. So far, the Galaxy S10 is the only Galaxy S phone to receive this month’s patch, which began rolling out on December 6 in Europe.
Meanwhile, the Galaxy S series used to be the flagship phone for “everyone,” while the Galaxy Note series provided additional capabilities for Android enthusiasts. The Galaxy Note series appears to be coming to an end in favor of Samsung’s more expensive Galaxy Z foldable phones. The Galaxy Z series is frequently among the first phones to receive each month’s Android security update, as a reward for early users of Samsung’s foldable screen technology.
On November 30, Samsung launched the Galaxy Z Flip 5G in Europe, followed by the original Galaxy Z Flip on December 2 in Austria and Switzerland.
Additionally, On December 6, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 received stable updates to Android 12 and One UI 4.0 in Korea and Serbia, respectively, bringing the phones up to date with the December 2021 security patch.
Lastly, while the Galaxy Note series appears to be dead for the time being, with other Samsung devices getting the once-exclusive S Pen functionality, Samsung is still actively supporting the Galaxy Notes it sold in the past.
The security update for the Galaxy Note 10+ 5G was released on December 6 in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Owners of the Galaxy Note 10 and Note 10+ who purchased their phones from a US cell carrier received the update later that day, making them the first Samsung smartphones in the US to receive the December 2021 patch. This is just the routine security update by the company hence no major changes are expected.