Samsung Galaxy S8, S8+ Software Update On T-Mobile, Sprint Brings May Android Security Patch

T-Mobile, Sprint Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus devices started receiving official software update, according to a screenshot of the change log posted by Phone Arena on its website Wednesday. The update includes updates for Bixby, improving stability for SD cards as well as a May Android security update.

Read: Samsung Galaxy S8 Review: 2017 Flagship Just Pretty Enough To Make You Think Twice

The update with the version numbers 'G950USQU1AQEF' for the Samsung Galaxy S8 and 'G955USQU1AQEF' for the Galaxy S8 Plus will require 375.60 MB space. Since the rollout has just begun, some T-mobile/Sprint customers might have to wait for some time to receive it. If you own a Samsung Galaxy S8, you can check for the update under Settings > Software Update.

The May Android security patch contained in the software update addresses six critical issues affecting the Android’s Mediaserver component, which left Samsung Galaxy S8 susceptible to being remotely hacked.

“The most severe of these issues is a critical security vulnerability that could enable remote code execution on an affected device through multiple methods such as email, web browsing, and MMS when processing media files," Google stated when it announced the patch last Thursday.

Samsung is expected to launch Bixby Voice on Galaxy S8 devices later this month and according to the report, it might have deposited some files on the devices for its eventual release. The feature has been available on South Korean Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus handsets, but isn’t yet available in the U.S.

While the change log did not specify what updates for Bixby were in the offering, the voice command feature has been long awaited for the devices, ever since it was shown off at the device’s March launch event in New York. It even claimed at the event that Bixby would enable users to do “everything that they can do on the device” by just tapping on the display and issuing voice commands.

After the event, the company stated the feature would be available “sometime later this spring.”

Sammobile tracked down a similar update issued by the South Korean Samsung Galaxy S8 handsets. The update brings support for shorter voice commands as it will enable the voice interface to remember keywords regularly used in voice commands. This will enable the user to employ shorter voice commands the next time they want Bixby to perform a task.

Read: Samsung Galaxy S8 Specs For Chinese Model Include Additional UX Features

There are some tasks users do regularly and this feature would help them perform these tasks more conveniently. For example, if a user says, “Bixby please check the stock price of Apple shares,” Bixby will remember the essential keywords such as “stock price” and “Apple shares.” The next time a user wants to issue the same voice commands a shorter request will be enough, like saying “stock price” or “Apple shares.”

It also changes Bixby’s background color and fixes bugs. However, it is not yet known whether Samsung would enable Bixby’s voice capabilities globally.