Samsung finally released the Galaxy S21 FE (short for “Fan Edition”) earlier this month, after months of leaks, rumors and (possible) manufacturing delays. Now that the phone is actually on store shelves, Samsung is starting to turn its attention to software updates, and now the first system update for the Galaxy S21 FE is rolling out.
The first Galaxy S21 FE update started rolling out a few days ago in parts of Asia, and now the same update is starting to appear on US models. The update has a firmware version of G990U1UEU2BUL8 for unlocked models (via Sam-Mobile), and Verizon says its update has version number SP1A.210812.016.G990USQU2BUL7. AT&T, Comcast, T-Mobile and other carriers are also rolling it out.
The main change in the software update is that the January 2022 security patches are included. The same patches arrived on Google’s Pixel devices on January 4 (except for the Pixel 6, which had to wait until January 14), and have also appeared on a few other phones and tablets over the past two weeks.
The January patches include a permanent fix for the bug that allowed Microsoft Teams to drop emergency calls, known as CVE-2021-39659. The update also fixes a flaw in Android 12 that allowed third-party apps with shell access to change the colors and dimensions of certain system elements, which in turn allowed some system customization without root access or other device modifications. The issue was already fixed in development builds of Android 12L, but Google has now backported the fix to Android 12.
Verizon says the update (or at least its update) also includes fixes for Smart View connections, home swipe gestures, notification vibrations, and visual voicemail not working. You can check if the update is available on your phone by opening the Settings app and then opening “System updates” at the bottom of the page.
- The Galaxy S21 FE is Samsung’s latest affordable flagship phone for the masses, with most of the Galaxy S21’s hardware at a slightly lower price.