Do you wonder what is the code in Samsung’s firmware version? Do you know that every Samsung updates have different codes? Have you tried to decode them, so you could understand it? No, then in this article, I will guide you on how to read Samsung firmware numbers. Samsung always releases the latest software updates to its smartphones, smartwatches & fitness bands. Every company has its own way to show the new software updates. As a tech reader, I can say Xiaomi, Huawei, Apple & Realme have a simple number system. Samsung shows it in the lengthy code, so you may sometimes find it difficult to notice it. For example, the newest version for Galaxy Z Fold 3 is F926BXXU1AUHF, which is lengthy compared to Apple, which is 15.0 versions for the iPhone.
Every day, there is at least one Samsung device that receives a newer version. Some firmware carries major features and changes, and some firmware comes with minor changes. Again, there are security updates from Google which you get every month or quarterly. So now you know which update is important, and which one only enhances security? The beta version is also there, and now most of the smartphones will receive them in the coming months. Now, come with me to decode all the letters in the firmware version to know their meaning. In this example, we will take Galaxy S21 Ultra’s latest software update G988BXXU3AUIE.
1. The first G988B part
In the firmware version, the first G988B is the model number of the Galaxy S21 Ultra. You will see the G988F in some regions. It specifies which device is getting the update.
2. The part XX in the code
This XX part indicates the international or European version. Some carriers in many countries have different codes, like in the US, South Korea, and China.
3. U3 is the bootloader version
As per the security policy of Samsung, you can’t downgrade to the lower bootloader version. Here, you are on bootloader version U3, so you can’t flash the U2 version.
4. The letter A indicates major Android OS
The letter A is important. It shows the major update since the Android OS version. The letter A means the first update, B is the second major update, and so on. The letter Z means the beta version. When you see Z instead of A, B, C …. & so on, then that is the beta version. Currently, Samsung is rolling out Android 12-based One UI 4.0 beta for Galaxy S21 series. In that firmware version, you can see the letter ‘Z’ in the firmware code.
5. U is for the current year
The eleventh letter in the code is for the current year. In the given code T is for 2020. 2017 has Q, 2018 has R, 2019 has S, 2020 has T, and now 2021 has U code number.
6. The next I is for the release month
With the letter I or the 9th letter, you will know in which month the firmware has been released. A is for January, B is for February, and so on. Here the I mean September. It means the firmware has released in the month of September.
7. The last E number shows how many times the firmware has to build
To make perfect software, developers need time and effort. The last letter E shows that effort. With the last letter, you will know how many times the firmware was built. Sometimes, Samsung will use numbers at the end or letters at the end. For example, in the last four digits, you will see ‘AUI4’ or you will see ‘AUIE.’ It is just the effort of Samsung to built the stable version by taking too many revisions.
I think I have covered all the letters in the firmware code. With these numbers, you can now find out the firmware version for your device. Note that, some countries like the US, always get software updates, after when all other models receive it.
