Just a week after Android Oreo started rolling out to several markets, news emerged that Samsung had halted the release of the update to its 2018 flagship devices, Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus. The tech giant is developing a new version of the firmware, which is hoped to be out soon.
Why Samsung pulled out the update
Android Oreo has been a much-anticipated update among Android phone owners, so an abrupt decision to stop the rollout is a disappointment. However, there’s one grave reason behind Samsung’s move. Android 8.0 Oreo apparently has caused random reboots in some Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus handsets.
According to Slash Gear , some users who got the early update reported unexpected restarts, which can be frustrating and can cause data loss. The numbers of affected users are limited, but it is wise for Samsung not to let things turn into a fiasco as serious as a bootloop before taking necessary actions. The update had appeared in India and some of the countries in Europe and the Middle East, so the cases are quite limited.
Nonetheless, the incident comes as a disappointment among many Android users. This is because the beta testing period felt like a thorough one. Samsung should have had enough time to iron things out since it announced Oreo in November.
Samsung halts Android Oreo rollout on Galaxy S8 due to “unexpected” restarts https://t.co/e67dHKcuhM pic.twitter.com/C49J5ynoNr
— The Verge (@verge) February 15, 2018
New Android Oreo version in the works
SamMobile first reported the halt in Android 8.0 Oreo rollout. It noticed that the firmware for Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus had been removed from Samsung’s server.
In a statement to SamMobile , Samsung confirmed that it temporarily stopped releasing the Android Oreo update following reports of some users. It said that there is an internal investigation ongoing to ensure that the impact on devices is minimized. Samsung aims to resume the rollout “as quickly as possible.” SamMobile also learned earlier that Samsung is working on a new version of Android 8.0.
Those who already updated to Android 8.0 Oreo can continue to use their devices. However, those who have downloaded the latest version but have not installed it yet will have to wait for the new firmware to be available.