The Galaxy A5 (2016) is the latest handset in Samsung's never-ending lineup of smartphones to receive this month's Security Maintenance Release (SMR). The upgrade is relatively similar to the firmware that the manufacturer started distributing to the European model of the Galaxy Note 4 earlier today. However, this build doesn't bring any new features to the device. It simply transports all of Google's latest patches for the Android OS, in addition to a handful of Samsung-specific optimizations, which includes a fix for a vulnerability that enabled hackers to bypass the lock screen using a USB cable.
If you own a Galaxy A5 (2016), are located in Asia or Europe and would like to see if the firmware is ready to be installed on your device, you can do so by heading into the Settings screen, tapping About Device, selecting Software Update, then hitting the Update Now button. However, if you don’t feel like taking a tour through the menus, you could always wait until you receive a push notification prompting you to download the OTA. It’s worth noting that you will need at least 50% of battery and be connected to a secure Wi-Fi network in order to receive the alert, though.
