Samsung has released an update for the Galaxy S8, a phone launched over 5 years ago

It’s only in the last few years that Android smartphone makers have started promising long-term software support, as Apple does, and the Galaxy S21 and S22 models are the first to get up to four years of updates. So it’s surprising that the Galaxy S8, a phone released five and a half years ago, recently received a new update, following the one that was considered “last” a few months ago.

Galaxy S8, Samsung’s longest-lived phone in terms of software support

Samsung is offering Galaxy S8 users a new update, about 420 MB. It has a hard-to-read name, but it’s even harder to remember, G95*FXXUCDVG4, and promises to solve one “problem”: GPS performance. Those who still have a Galaxy S8 in use and were having problems with GPS connection or signal stability to satellites, should thus install the new update to see if it really fixes the problem.

Otherwise, the new update does not update the phone’s software to a newer version. It remains the first-generation OneUI, 1.0, based on Android 9. The security updates aren’t updated either. The last such update for the phone was sometime in 2021, as certifications are due April 1, 2021.

What’s certain is that Galaxy S8 users probably just received the latest update pack for their more than five-year-old phone. Very few other Android models receive updates for such long periods, and the update seems to be one that will come to the aid of users, especially those using GPS navigation services.

Even though it’s an older model, the Galaxy S8 could still be used without issue for those who don’t need high performance from a smartphone, or who aren’t interested in top-notch cameras. The only issue that could arise with a phone this old would be the battery, which after so long might not be able to sustain a normal day of use.