News
November 2020 security patch fixed a serious bug in Exynos 990 powered Galaxy devices
Samsung has already sent November security updates for its Galaxy devices. Some of the devices even received this patch ahead of November. Aside from the rollout, there’s a security issue that you should know and had appeared on flagship Samsung smartphones.
Samsung has now published the November 2020 security patch details. As usual, the South Korean tech giant fixed different levels of exploits and issues within Samsung phones including 5 Critical, 29 High, and 31 Moderate levels of CVEs. You can check the complete detail of CVEs here.
By looking at the details in detail, we found that the patch fixes a major security issue in devices featuring Exynos 990 and runs Android 10 (One UI 2.x). These devices include Samsung Galaxy S20 Series, Note 20 series, and S20 FE smartphones.
According to the information, the disclosed threat found on Exynos 990 chip allows arbitrary code execution, leading attackers to access your sensitive information/data.
The issue was initially reported on August 11, 2020, but now fixed with patches that prevent buffer overflow and prevents from being comprised.
Related: List of eligible Samsung galaxy devices for monthly and quarterly security updates [November 2020]
Samsung Galaxy S20 Series
Check the details of the fixed vulnerability and affected criteria below:
SVE-2020-18632: Arbitrary code execution in S3K250AF
Severity: High
Affected versions: Q(10.0) devices with Exynos990 chipset
Reported on: August 11, 2020
Disclosure Status: Privately disclosed.
Samsung had previously introduced a Common Criteria Evaluation Assurance Level (CC EAL) 5+ certified Secure Element (SE) turnkey solution for mobile devices. The Secure Element offers a strong security solution, consisting of a security chip (S3K250AF) and optimized software, that fully guards private data on an isolated data storage.
Samsung has finally launched the Android 15-based One UI 7 Beta Program. The official announcement was made on December 5. The activity is initially available for the Galaxy S24, S24 Plus, and S24 Ultra in seven.
One UI 7 introduces radical interface tweaks, fresh new UI components, rich graphics, plenty of new features, and a lot more. The new software also uplevels the security system of your Galaxy smartphone to keep data safe.
What’s New in One UI 7?
Samsung’s Android 15-based One UI 7 Beta Program delivers a glimpse into a revolutionary smartphone experience powered by cutting-edge Galaxy AI features, enhanced personalization, and an overhauled interface.
One UI 7 integrates advanced AI agents and multimodal capabilities across the interface, enabling seamless and natural interactions.
Key AI enhancements include:
Writing Assist Tools: Users can now boost productivity with integrated AI-powered tools that summarize content, check grammar and spelling, and format notes into bullet points—all without switching between applications.
Samsung One UI 7 AI Writing Assist Tools (Source – Samsung)
Call Transcriptions: Calls recorded on Samsung Galaxy devices running the latest One UI 7 can now be transcribed automatically, supporting 20 languages, offering a convenient solution for multitasking professionals.
Samsung One UI 7 Call Transcript (Credit – Samsung)
One UI 7 introduces a streamlined design language centered around simplicity and user engagement.
Now Bar:
- Accessible directly from the lock screen, this feature offers instant access to activities like Interpreter, Music, Recording, and Stopwatch.
- Reduces the need to unlock the device frequently, transforming the lock screen experience.
Samsung One UI 7 Now Bar (Source – Samsung)
Simplified Customization:
- Redesigned widgets and lock screens allow users to personalize their devices effortlessly.
- Enhanced control over every detail ensures a more intuitive and cohesive experience.
Refreshed Camera UX:
- Reorganized controls make advanced settings easier to access.
- Pro and Pro Video modes now feature a simplified manual settings layout and a new zoom control for smoother transitions during video recording.
Availability and Rollout
The One UI 7 beta program is now available for Galaxy S24 series users in Germany, India, Korea, Poland, the UK, and the US, starting December 5.
The official release of One UI 7 will begin in Q1 2025 with the next-generation Galaxy S series devices. Over time, it will expand to other Galaxy devices, reflecting Samsung’s commitment to extended OS upgrades.
Samsung seems to have revised its smartphone production target for 2025. Meanwhile, Samsung is aiming to foster Galaxy S25 series production than the S24 series. New input suggests that the production target is reduced by 7 to 8 million.
According to TheElec, Samsung is cutting smartphone production estimates for 2025, but the flagship Galaxy S25 series could be produced higher than the Galaxy S24 series.
Back in October, it was reported that Samsung is aiming to produce 237 million phones in 2025. As per the revised plan, the company has set a production target of 229.4 million.
In particular, the Galaxy S25 series is expected to be produced at 37 million units. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S24 series is estimated to be shipped 35 million units this year.
It seems the budget and entry-level phones would be produced in slightly lesser quantities. The aim is to maintain a conservative outlook without impacting premium sales.
On the flip side, the report also revealed production estimation of foldable smartphones, as follows:
- Galaxy Z Flip 7 – 3 million
- Galaxy Z Flip FE – 900,000
- Galaxy Z Fold 7 – 2 million
These figures sum up to a production target of around 6 million units. Combining a Fan Edition model, the sale is still estimated at 6 million – suggesting a slow pace of adoption.
The Galaxy S25 series will launch in late January next year, while the foldable devices may debut in July. Samsung is also preparing to introduce a Slim variant of the S25 series, while the launch timeline is uncertain.
Samsung Calendar app got a new icon with One UI 7, including new icons and enhanced features. The One UI 7 Beta update has been released, and a new report suggests that beta users just received the first app update, which is for the Samsung Calendar app.
The latest update of the Samsung Calendar app arrives with version 12.6.00.35. It brings a new tweak to the app icon, you can now see the name of the day along with the date. This update is truly useful as users no longer need to open the calendar to check the day, they can see its glance on the icon.
The new revamped icon of the Samsung Messages app is available for devices running Android 15-based One UI 7 beta, which means it’s currently only for the Galaxy S24 series. More devices will get this revamped icon with One UI 7.
Aside from this, the One UI 7 update makes handling your calendar easier. You can now reschedule events by simply dragging and dropping them in the Month view.
You can now choose which calendars to show on your widgets which lets you display different calendars on your home screen. With the “Add countdown widget”, you can add countdowns for events like birthdays to see the days left and right on your home screen.
Moreover, you can also move all events from one calendar to another without hassle, perfect for switching from a phone-based calendar to a cloud-based one. If you are a Galaxy S24 user, register and install the One UI 7 Beta to enjoy new Samsung Calendar features.