If you think Samsung expects the launch of a new flagship to attract attention away from software updates for existing devices, you're not alone. The company has been dragging its feet when it comes to the Galaxy S8 Oreo update. While the final version of Oreo was released in less than two weeks after the beta program ended, it was halted soon after because of a reboot issue. Samsung released a newer version of Oreo with the necessary fix a few days later, but the rollout of the update didn't immediately pick up pace.
Galaxy S8 Oreo update still a dream for some
It's reached a few regions since then, but not everyone has the update nearly eight months since Google first pushed out Android 8.0 Oreo to its phones. For many consumers, even security updates seem to have been delayed. Some devices are still running the November 2017 security patch, and the condition's worse for carrier-locked phones, some of which haven't been updated past the October security patch. It's a sorry state of affairs; now that Google has begun testing Android P, it's even sadder that Samsung hasn't completed the rollout of Oreo for its mainstream flagship line, let alone send out the update to other devices.
Well, we could keep complaining, but that probably isn't going to affect Samsung (and certainly not the carriers who further delay updates). We want to know, however: Have you received Oreo on your Galaxy S8 or S8+? If yes, is it the first version (build number ending in CRAP; you can check in Settings » About phone » Software information) or the fixed version that was released later (build number ending in CRB7)? Tell us by selecting the appropriate option in the poll below, and share your thoughts on the matter down in the comments.
Results: Well, it looks like Oreo is still not available for many Galaxy S8 owners, as a majority (60 percent) say that they are still waiting for the update. Since our poll was published a week before, it's possible the update has arrived for many in the last couple of days, especially since the Galaxy S9 is also on sale, but the slow pace of the rollout is still disappointing. 27 percent said they're on the latest version of Oreo (the fixed version), while 7 percent of voters were on the first version. 6 percent said they didn't care anymore, and we totally understand why that might be the case. Samsung needs to do better, although the company looks set to continue the trend of holding back on an update for an existing flagship till the newer one has been released in markets around the world.