Samsung pushes new security update to the Galaxy Fold in the US

Samsung is pushing a new security update to the original Galaxy Fold in the US. Unfortunately, it’s not the latest release. Instead, the company is updating the first-gen foldable to the May 2023 security patch. International versions of the phone have already picked up the May SMR (Security Maintenance Release).

The Galaxy Fold was only sold unlocked in the US. Samsung is widely covering those phones with the May SMR. The new firmware build number for the device is F900U1UEU6HWE5 (via). While the build number suggests the update may contain more than just some security fixes, Samsung’s official changelog doesn’t mention anything else. We have little hope of new features, though. At best, there may be some system stability and reliability optimizations.

The May SMR itself patches more than 70 vulnerabilities, including 21 Galaxy-specific issues. At least six of those vulnerabilities were classified as “Critical” by Google and Samsung. Eligible Galaxy devices have received the June update with around 60 more security fixes. But the original Galaxy Fold may not get the June update. The foldable is on its last legs and will get new updates once every three months or so.

Those updates may not come beyond September this year, unfortunately. The Galaxy Fold debuted in September 2019 and will turn four later this year. Samsung’s revamped update policy (four major Android OS updates and five years of security updates) doesn’t apply to it. That’s why the foldable missed out on Android 13 as well. Debuted with Android 9 Pie, it got three major Android OS updates, up to Android 12. Security updates may also stop coming after four years.

The Galaxy A32 5G is also getting Samsung’s May security update in the US

The Galaxy Fold isn’t the only Samsung device that is belatedly getting the May security update in the US. The Korean firm is pushing last month’s security patch to the Galaxy A32 5G as well. The update is available for both carrier-locked and unlocked units. The new build numbers are A326USQSADWE2  and A326U1UESADWE3, respectively. The mid-range 5G phone isn’t getting additional goodies with this update.

If you’re using the Galaxy Fold or Galaxy A32 5G in the US, Samsung’s May SMR should be available to you anytime now unless you have already installed it. You can check your phone’s current security patch level from the About phone menu in the Settings app. If you’re on an older patch, go to the Software update menu in the Settings app and tap on Download and install. If you don’t see any updates today, wait a few days and check again.