September security update out for what may be Samsung’s last Galaxy Note flagship

Samsung has been doing an excellent job of bringing the September 2021 security update to its devices even as it focuses on releasing the One UI 4.0 beta program that will let Galaxy S21 users test out Android 12 on their phones.

A handful of Galaxy phones have been updated with the latest security patch in the past week or so, and Samsung is now bringing the Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy Note 20 Ultra, which are possibly its last Galaxy Note flagships, into the fold.

The Galaxy Note 20 lineup was updated with One UI 3.1.1 last month, and it is now getting all the security enhancements included in this month’s patch with the latest update, which comes with firmware version N98xxXXS3DUH5.

We will have to wait and see those security enhancements are, however, as Samsung has yet to detail the contents of the September 2021 patch. The new Galaxy Note 20 series update doesn’t have anything else on-board, but don’t worry, there are bound to be some new features coming with One UI 4.0 to all of Samsung’s eligible handsets.

The September security update for the Galaxy Note 20 and Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is currently rolling out in Brazil, but expect it to be released in more markets soon. You can check if the update is out for your phone by opening its Settings app, selecting Software update, and tapping Download and install. To upgrade manually using a Windows PC, you can download the latest firmware from our archives.

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Forget biannual updates. Galaxy A8 (2018) keeps getting monthly patches

After going live for a couple of Galaxy flagships and FE/Lite phones, the September 2021 security patch is now widening its reach to include the upper mid-range segment, or more specifically, the Galaxy A8 (2018).

This is quite an unexpected release, considering that the enterprise Galaxy A8 (2018) is technically supposed to follow a quarterly security update schedule, while the non-enterprise model should be getting security patches every six months. But here we are, talking about the September security patch mere weeks after the June and August 2021 updates went live for the Galaxy A8 (2018). This could mean that the September 2021 security patch addresses critical issues, though we won’t know for sure until Samsung reveals the changelog.

The new firmware is rolling out in South America, or at least in Colombia, but availability should soon expand to other markets. The update carries firmware version A530FXXSLCUH5, which indicates that the Galaxy A8 (2018) isn’t getting any new features and enhancements through this new update, aside from the improved level of security.

If you’re using the Galaxy A8 (2018) with model number SM-A530F, you can verify if the Security 2021 security update is available for you by opening the Settings app and navigating to Software update. And as usual, you can also acquire Samsung updates from our firmware database for free.

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Weekly SamMobile Quiz 89 – Come test your Samsung knowledge!

Fancy yourself as a Samsung superfan? Take our quiz and see how many answers you can get right! This is a fun activity that we do with our readers every week to test their knowledge of the Korean giant. The quiz has a mix of easy and difficult questions that most fans should be able to answer without turning to Google.

We make a new quiz for you every weekend so we hope that you’ll participate and learn a thing or two about Samsung in the process! Don’t forget to share the results of the quiz with your friends and see if you can outscore them. A little competition never hurt anybody!

Remember, if the quiz isn’t loading properly, please access the non-AMP version of this webpage.

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Galaxy S21 gets a new security update while we wait for One UI 4.0 beta

You can now check the Galaxy S21 off the list of smartphones to have received the September 2021 security patch. Samsung began rolling out the new firmware for the flagship trio in Europe, though as usual, the update will reach more regions gradually.

Samsung hasn’t revealed the September 2021 security patch changelog yet, and the latest firmware update doesn’t seem to include any extra features. It’s a routine security patch, and Galaxy S21 smartphone users in Europe can identify it by firmware number G99xBXXS3AUHD.

The Galaxy S21 series isn’t the first to get the September security update, but the rollout began less than a week ago. The Galaxy S20 FE was the first to receive the update and was followed by the Galaxy Z Flip, the Galaxy 10 Lite, and the Galaxy S20 series.

Samsung is bound to detail this month’s security fixes in the coming days, so stay tuned for that. And let’s not forget that the company intends to open the One UI 4.0 beta program to Galaxy S21 users in Europe “soon.” Until then, you can go ahead and download the new security patch via the Settings app on your Galaxy S21 by accessing Software update and tapping Download and install. Or you can download the September 2021 security update for your particular Galaxy S21 variant from our firmware database.

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Did you get a free Galaxy Note 9 from AT&T yet? You could!

Who doesn’t like free stuff? If you’re an AT&T subscriber, you actually have a chance to get a free Galaxy Note 9 from the country’s second largest mobile carrier. Yes, AT&T is actually sending out free replacement devices, but there’s obviously a catch.

AT&T is trying to get people off its 3G network. The carrier has already confirmed that it will shut down the 3G network early next year. This is being done to support the further rollout of the carrier’s 5G network.

Galaxy Note 9s are showing up at customers’ doors unexpectedly

AT&T has been nudging customers with 3G devices to get new phones for a while now. The carrier has offered cheap and even free replacements but not all subscribers have taken the carrier up on its offer. Now, even those who didn’t put in a request are receiving free replacement devices from AT&T.

For the past few months, AT&T has been providing replacement phones on an identical platform basis. Subscribers with conventional flip phones got newer flip phones. Old iPhone owners are getting second-generation iPhone SE devices for free.

For Android users, AT&T offered cheap RADIANT CORES units upon request. Those who made the request did end up receiving that device. However, some AT&T subscribers who didn’t request a replacement phone have received one anyway.

Multiple posts on the r/ATT subreddit confirm that AT&T has sent out replacement phones to subscribers affected by its 3G network sunset. Many users have received the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 while some have even received the Galaxy S9. A few got the Galaxy A11 as well.

AT&T reassures all of the subscribers who got these unsolicited devices that they’re absolutely free and at no cost to them. All of the units it has sent are subject to automatic activation with the user’s existing phone number and service within 30 days of shipment.

It was a bit confusing to see the different variety of devices that the carrier was sending out. AT&T later confirmed to AndroidPolice in a statement that:

We have not changed our plans to replace 3G network-dependent devices. However, inventory constraints mean we sometimes must find substitutes for some devices.

Do you own a device that’s going obsolete on the carrier’s network? Might want to keep an eye out for a brand new Galaxy Note 9 coming your way!

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Galaxy phone users, Google’s clock app might not wake you up tomorrow

There is a huge number of Google apps on the Play Store that anyone can download and use. Naturally, there are the company’s main revenue drivers, such as Gmail, the Play Store, Google Drive, Google Assistant, and YouTube, most of which come preinstalled on most Android devices. And then there are apps like Gboard, Files by Google, and even Google Clock, which aren’t necessary if you own a Galaxy phone but are at your disposal if you want them.

However, one of those Google apps has a huge problem right now: The internet giant’s Clock app is failing to wake people up. 1-star Play Store reviews from as early as March this year and reports on Reddit reveal that a bug in the app is causing pre-set alarms to fail to activate. That has unsurprisingly led to quite the outrage from affected users. It seems the app is failing to play a sound or notification and, in some instances, only vibrating for a moment when the alarm is supposed to go off.

Having do not disturb mode enabled on the phone seems to be the main cause behind this issue, and Google says it is aware of it and is currently working on a fix. Thankfully, it doesn’t seem like Samsung users are affected by this – it’s mostly Pixel owners and owners of devices from some Chinese OEMs such as Oppo and OnePlus who have been tearing their hair out.

However, that could change at any time, so if you’re a Galaxy smartphone owner and are using Google Clock instead of Samsung’s excellent preloaded app, you might want to switch back.  As the old saying goes, prevention is better than cure – missing alarms is just not something you want to experience, especially if your job depends on it.

Do you use Google’s Clock app on your Galaxy smartphone? Have you run into alarm issues?

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Got a One UI 4.0 features wishlist? Here’s ours!

One UI 3.1.1 did a decent job elevating the user experience of foldable Galaxy phones. However, One UI 4.0 is what every Samsung customer is looking forward to, as the upcoming Android 12-based firmware update will bring more changes and additions to a wider range of Galaxy smartphones and tablets.

The One UI 4.0 beta program is almost live for the Galaxy S21 series in a few regions, so we’ll soon get a chance to see what Samsung’s software engineers have been working on in recent months. We won’t know much about the final form of One UI 4.0 for a few more months, though, as we suspect that the first public build will debut with the Galaxy S22 series in January.

Until One UI 4.0 arrives, we can only dream of what it’s going to offer. For now, we compiled a wishlist of new features we’d like to see in the next major firmware update, hoping it will hit the mark.

DeX improvements

Samsung DeX is a pretty amazing tool that lets you connect your smartphone to an external monitor and turn it into a pocket computer. And while it’s great, we’d love to see a few more additions, such as 4K support, an easier way to add emojis, support for password manager apps, and an option to change the behavior of the Enter key.

A dedicated number pad in Samsung Keyboard

Similarly, Samsung Keyboard is fantastic out of the box, and it’s the first choice for many Android smartphone users. But what would make it even better is a dedicated number pad.

The number pad does show up in certain situations, as it should, but in some use cases, it would be really nice to have control over this basic feature.

Per-contact call background options

Custom ringtones have been a part of the user experience for mobile phone owners for more than a decade, and Samsung’s call background options add a visual layer to the concept, though in a very limited way. There’s only one call background option for all your contacts, with no room for further personalization.

But having the option to add per-contact call background options could be a lot of fun. For example, it would allow you to set a video of a friend waving at the camera as the call background for said friend in your Contacts list.

Samsung Pass two-factor code generator

Samsung Pass is a great password manager that’s built right into One UI for the majority of Galaxy smartphones and tablets. It can store passwords for websites, credit card info, and other authentication details in a secure way for easy access.

One thing that’s lacking from Samsung Pass is a two-factor code generator to act as an additional security layer during the login process. We’re hoping One UI 4.0 will address this, especially since the rival platform — iOS 15 — already offers this feature.

A high refresh rate quick toggle

A high refresh rate display can make a world of difference to the user experience. Thanks to the 90Hz/120Hz displays adopted by a wide variety of Samsung smartphones and tablets, One UI animations are smoother, and everything feels just a little bit more responsive.

What we’d like to see next in One UI 4.0 is a dedicated quick toggle to switch between 60Hz and the high refresh rate mode. Of course, users can already switch between these modes at will, but the process requires a few extra steps after opening the Settings app. A quick toggle would greatly simplify things.

An option to enable high refresh rate in Power Saving Mode

A high refresh rate will have a more noticeable impact on battery life on a single charge, which is why Samsung phones automatically switch to 60Hz when the Power Saving Mode is active.

It makes sense if you’re trying to save battery life, but it would be even better if One UI 4.0 allowed users to choose whether the Power Saving Mode should affect the refresh rate. In other words, let us enable 90Hz/120Hz even in Power Saving Mode.

There used to be a workaround for this involving Bixby Routines, but sadly, it no longer works.

“Protect battery” for more Galaxy smartphone models

“Protect battery” is a feature that exists mainly for tablets but was first added to smartphones with the release of One UI 3.1.1 for the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3.

As the name suggests, this feature is meant to prolong the life of your phone’s battery. It does so by preventing the battery from charging beyond 85%. It might not make a huge difference, and for devices with small batteries, it might cause a significant drop in battery life on a single charge. But regardless, it can be a useful Device Care feature, especially if you want to hold on to your smartphone for more than a couple of years. It just wouldn’t hurt if it would be added to more phones with the release of One UI 4.0.

Astrophotography mode

Samsung’s flagship phones can capture good photos of the night sky if the right settings are used. However, a dedicated astrophotography mode for people who might not be familiar with manual camera settings could go a long way.

Not many casual photographers know this, but there’s a “500 Rule” that allows you to calculate the perfect shutter speed for your camera’s focal length to achieve the best results and prevent light trails when photographing the stars. A dedicated astrophotography mode in One UI 4.0 would automate some of these settings, allowing everyone to quickly capture beautiful night sky photos.

A cleaner Camera UI

The Camera UI in current versions of One UI is kind of a mess. There are way too many modes included in the scrolling list at the bottom (in portrait mode) of the viewfinder, and One UI 4.0 could clean things up by simply combining some of these modes.

For example, there are two Pro Modes — one for video and one for photos — when there could be a single Pro Mode with an option to switch between photos and videos. Similarly, the Camera UI offers a Slow Motion and a Super Slow-Mo option, when it could combine both in a single category containing different framerate settings.

Video and audio recording privacy indicator (similar to Android 12)

Android 12 introduces a neat little privacy feature — an indicator that lets you know when your phone is recording video or audio, even when the recording app is minimized to Recents or otherwise continues recording while running in the background.

Since One UI 4.0 is based on Android 12, we’re hoping Samsung will get inspired by this small feature and reimagine it within its own software.

Let us change the shape of app icons

This has become one of the most basic customization features for many smartphone brands, yet Samsung keeps shying away from it. The company removed custom app icon shapes from developer options with the release of Android 10, and we have yet to see signs of a comeback.

Nevertheless, since One UI 4.0 might bring major design improvements in line with Google’s Material You, we’re hoping that Samsung will finally let us customize the shape of app icons.

A redesigned Calendar app icon

Speaking of app icon designs, the Calendar app icon could be a bit more dynamic. Right now, it shows the current date, which is a nice touch, but it could be even better if it would provide additional information at a glance and inform users if they have an event scheduled for the present day.

Similarly, the Clock icon could also be more dynamic and change based on whether or not you have an upcoming alarm.

One UI 4.0 wishlist wrap-up

This concludes our One UI 4.0 wishlist — for now — but don’t be surprised if more items will be added to this list over time, so stay tuned. And if you have a One UI 4.0 wishlist of your own, feel free to share it in the comment section below.

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