A new update has been released to the Samsung Galaxy S6, the S6 Edge, and the S6 Edge+ this month and it has significantly improved user protection by focusing on the security of the smartphones, notes the GSM Arena.
The firmware update to the Galaxy S6 and its two other variants came a few days after the Korean tech giant officially rolled out the patch for the unlocked version of the European models of the Samsung Galaxy S7.
As usual, the latest patch came via over-the-air but because it is being unveiled in stages, some S6, S6 Edge, and S6 Edge+ users might need to wait longer for the automatic push notification to arrive on their handset device.
Subsequently, the July security update was greenlit by Samsung on the AT&T variants of the Korean tech giant’s flagship smartphones of 2015.
AT&T made an announcement to its subscribers using the Galaxy S6 and its variants that a Wi-Fi connection is no longer needed to install the latest update via OTA, details the Inquisitr.
However, the American carrier warned users that they should have the correct smartphone model before they install any firmware update on their Galaxy S6 and its variants.
AT&T added that users who own a compatible Samsung device need to have the current software version available which ends in PE6.
It further said that if it does not get through, they should just repeat the update process until PE6 is installed and they should be able to install the software update.
Accordingly, the file size of the firmware update depends on the smartphone model. For the Samsung Galaxy S6 Active model, the update is about 410 MB which is quite heavy. But for the standard Galaxy S6 models, the patch only has a 22 MB file size.
No major changes
Other than the security enhancements to the Samsung Galaxy S6 and its variants, the latest July patch did not come with major changes.
The smartphone should still run on Android 6.0.1. Marshmallow which highlights new features including the battery-saving Doze mode and App Standby functions.
There is also a faster and safer wireless payment service called Android Pay, which is also supported by the Android Marshmallow OS.
Those who are quite impatient with the update can opt to do it manually by checking for the update on their respective device’s Settings menu.
Tougher than the Galaxy S7
The Samsung Galaxy S7, the latest flagship smartphone of the Korean tech giant, may be several notches better than its predecessor, the Galaxy S6, in terms of design and processing capability, but the latter has been proven to be tougher than the former.
According to recent tests, the case and the tempered glass of the Galaxy S7 are not as tough or as water-resistant as that of the Galaxy S6.
In fact, if any, the tests only proves that the Samsung Galaxy S7 is more delicate and should not be subjected to durability or water-resistance tests for so long or it may eventually break faster than the Galaxy S6.
There are also several drop tests that are now posted on YouTube involving the Galaxy S7 and most of them do not look good on the smartphone.
There is one test showing the Galaxy S7 being dropped with an unprotected faceplant from only a high of one meter would leave the latest flagship smartphone of the Korean tech giant totally blank and unusable too.
Based on the assessment of critics, the risk for the Galaxy S7 is higher compared to the Galaxy S6 on the drop test as its thin edges make it easy for the device to slip from the user’s grip.
However, most users of the Galaxy S7 already know how sensitive and delicate their device is so even if they use it without proper protection, they just put a little extra care to it.