As of this writing, the July SMR (Security Maintenance Release) for the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, and Galaxy S21 Ultra is rolling out in a few European countries, including Germany and the UK. The new firmware version for the phones in these regions is G99*BXXS5CVFB. The update should soon reach other markets, including the US. This update for the Galaxy S21 series is unlikely to bring any notable user-facing change. It appears to be all about the latest security fixes. Unfortunately, we don’t have information about that either. While we are expecting fixes for dozens of vulnerabilities here, we can’t confirm their severity. Samsung will likely update its security bulletin to reflect the July SMR in the coming days. After all, it has just begun rolling out the new security patch to its devices. Meanwhile, if you’re rocking any of Samsung’s 2021 flagships in Europe, you should be getting the July SMR soon. Since these updates are rolled out in batches, it may take up to a few days for the OTA (over the air) rollout to hit all eligible units in a region. Your phone will notify you once the update becomes available. Tap on the notification to quickly download the update. You may also manually check for updates by navigating to Settings > Software update and tapping on Download and install. Galaxy S21 users in the US and other international markets can also be on the lookout for this update in the coming days.
Other Galaxy devices will soon receive the July security update
Samsung began rolling out the July security patch to its devices over the weekend. It has already released the update to a handful of smartphone models. Considering the company’s recent history regarding these updates, it shouldn’t be long before the July SMR reaches a dozen or two Galaxy smartphones and tablets. Of course, not every Samsung device will receive the new security patch. While most flagship models will get it, the SMR will reach fewer mid-range and budget models. Samsung ships security updates either monthly, quarterly or bi-annually to its low-cost devices depending on the model and age. We will keep you posted as the company rolls out the July SMR to more devices.
