Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ owners will be receiving a fresh update for their shiny flagship phone, which adds some new features and fixes some issues with the Galaxy S8’s software. Here’s everything included in the latest Samsung mobile update and how you can install it on your handset.
Samsung, like most other mobile manufacturers, updates its phones on a regular basis. These updates exist for a number of reasons, including adding new software features, tweaking existing features, sorting out any security issues and fixing any bugs that people have discovered.
Here’s all you need to know about the latest updates for the Galaxy S8 and S8+.
Check out our full Galaxy S8 and S8+ tips and tricks guide to learn more about the best hidden features of Samsung’s handsets. We’ve also covered the S8’s best camera features and revealed our favourite S8 camera tips and tricks, to help you get the most from that brilliant snapper.
What’s new in the latest Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ update?
Samsung’s latest update (labelled SM-G955FD) has just started rolling out to S8 and S8+ phones at the time of writing, i.e. the end of May.
This update includes a number of fixes, with two primary feature tweaks to resolve existing problems.
The first is a fix to the Bluetooth connectivity and stability. Some Galaxy S8 and S8+ owners noticed that their handsets occasionally rebooted of their own accord when connected to a wireless Bluetooth speaker. Hopefully after this update, that issue will be completely resolved.
Secondly, this update improves stability when using a microSD memory card for storage.
In addition you can expect security updates and other general performance updates.
When will my Samsung Galaxy S8 or S8+ get the latest update?
The latest SM-G955FD update began rolling out globally from May 19 2017. However, the update will reach handsets in a staggered fashion, so don’t be surprised if your S8 or S8+ doesn’t receive the package for a little while.
We’d expect all handsets to be updated in the next month or two, depending on the individual carriers.
How do I download and install the new Galaxy S8 and S8+ update?
You should automatically receive a pop-up notification on your phone when it detects that the update is ready to download. All you need to do is follow the instructions to complete the update, which is provided Over-The-Air (OTA). You can choose to Install Now, or if you’re busy you can always Install Overnight – or even put it off by tapping Later.
Before you update the S8, make sure you’re first connected to a WiFi network. Samsung’s latest update is a rather hefty 614MB, which would eat up a large portion of most people’s data allowance. Once you’re hooked up to the internet, you can download and complete the update without eating into your data.
If your Galaxy S8 or S8+ hasn’t prompted you to update yet, you can also check manually to see if the download is ready.
To do so, tap the settings icon in your notification bar or the apps tray. Scroll down to About Phone and in this sub-menu, select ‘Updates’. This will check to see if anything is waiting and then prompt you to download if something is found.
Check out our complete guide to updating your Android phone for more info.
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