What you need to know
- Samsung is starting to roll out the December 2023 security patch for its Galaxy S23 flagship series in the U.S.
- The hefty patch includes 75 total fixes, with Samsung looking to correct various problems relating to Knox Guard, the Contacts app, and Qualcomm-based devices.
- With the year's final month here, Samsung continues to plug away at its One UI 6 (Android 14) rollout schedule.
Samsung is pushing its monthly security update to its flagship devices as we wrap up the week.
The December 2023 security update was spotted rolling onto the Galaxy S23, S23 Plus, and S23 Ultra in the U.S. by SamMobile. Owners of any of the aforementioned devices should see the firmware version S91xUSQS2BWKA as we progress.
The patch is quite hefty, containing 75 fixes in total. Samsung has provided vulnerability fixes for 16 issues out of that total. According to the changelog, the Korean OEM is patching a problem related to the Contacts app where a user with malicious intent could gain sensitive information. Another fix involves its devices using Qualcomm chips, as the company states physical hackers should no longer execute "arbitrary code."
Three more fixes help Samsung's Knox Guard and Knox Services better protect user data and safety across its devices.
The remaining bulk of the December patch is from Google as it accounts for 59 of the fixes. The company brings in 15 "High" priority system corrections and one "Critical." The Android Security Bulletin details several more "Critical" problems corrected with the overall framework of Android devices.
The Galaxy S23 series should download the update automatically once it's received, but if not, you can manually check by heading into your Settings > Software update.
In Samsung's quest to roll out One UI 6 (Android 14) to its wide array of Galaxy devices, the Galaxy Tab S9 FE and S9 FE Plus are some of the latest to grab it. The Galaxy S23 FE was among that most recent wave, as well.
Fortunately, Samsung's revised One UI 6 rollout schedule details when many of its devices should download the new OS through to 2024. Many of its current-gen flagship Android phones and tablets have already snagged the update in quite a few countries. What we're waiting on now is for the patch to arrive on most of its past-gen devices like the Galaxy S21 series and several midrange devices.
Understated grandeur
Samsung's Galaxy S23 Ultra pushes the series ahead once again. The device's 200MP primary camera, and strong zoom capabilities, create a phone that's capable of being your photography partner for a long while. The S23 Ultra's 6.8-inch display is fluid and captivating, more than enough for gaming and scrolling.
