Category: Android Security Update

AT&T has begun the process of rolling out an update for the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge on the carrier’s network.  The updates for both devices are small at 46.5MB and bring the Android Security Update patch to the December 1, 2017 level.  The patch also brings a fix to the BlueBorne Bluetooth exploit on both devices.

For the Galaxy S7, the updated build is G930AUCS4BQL1 while for the S7 Edge, you are looking for build G935AUCS4BQL1.  Given the small size of the updates, you can download them via your mobile data account but it is always recommended that you download them via WiFi.  After it is downloaded, expect about a 10-15 minute install and a required reboot.

Google has released the January 2018 Android Security Update patches for the Google Nexus and Pixel lineup of devices.  Normally the patches are released on the first Monday of the first full week in any given month.  Given that yesterday was New Years Day and a holiday, it was delayed until today.

Like previous Android Security Update patches, there are two that have been released.  The first patch is dated January 1 and primarily focuses on core Android fixes and addressing security vulnerabilities.  In this patch there are a total of 20 fixes included, four of which are considered critical fixes.

The release team at T-Mobile has been quite busy it would seem preparing updates for multiple Samsung Galaxy devices on their network.  Late yesterday the carrier released multiple updates for Galaxy devices, bringing overall improvements as well as the December Android Security Update patch to them.

The Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge are the first ones to get updated. The S7 will be receiving build G930TUVS4BQL2 while the S7 Edge will be getting build G935TUVS4BQL2.  For both devices, the OTA updates are less than 50MB and is primarily the December security patch although there could be some undocumented improvements brought to the devices.

The venerable Samsung Galaxy Note 5 keeps on keeping on.  Samsung today has released an update for the 2015 phablet that brings the December Android Security Update to the phone.

The new update is build NRD90M.N920GDDS3CQL4 for those keeping score at home and it is aimed at the unlocked variants of the Note 5.  It is a very small update, coming in at 17MB.  That means that this update is essentially only the December Android Security Update.

Over the past few months, Sony has been making great strides in keeping their phones up to date with major Android releases as well as the monthly Android Security Update patches.  This month it would seem is no exception.  The Japanese company has rolled out the December security update to the Xperia XZ, Xperia XZs and the Xperia X Performance.

The update is firmware build 41.3.A.2.24 for all three devices and the update is hitting unlocked phones first as you likely suspect.  The update is small, less than 200MB, so it is a quick install but does require a reboot of your phone once you have it downloaded and installed.

Good news this morning for those of you who have an unlocked Essential Phone.  The company has begun rolling out an update that brings the December Android Security Update to the device.  It will make Essential one of the first beyond Google themselves to get the December update out to end users.

The update is build NMJ51B for those keeping score at home and, based on Essential’s twitter post about the update, it appears that the update contains only this security patch.

We’re currently rolling out a software update (build NMJ51B) with December security patches.

— Essential (@essential) December 5, 2017

It is possible (likely) that there are some other minor updates in the build but clearly the main focus is on the December security update.