Samsung Galaxy foldable phone users just bagged a critical free software upgrade

Samsung Galaxy foldable phone users are getting a nifty free upgrade.

That patches a host of security issues – including one critical one.

You'd have to have been living under a rock for the last five years to not know about foldable phones . Once the brainchild of science fiction writers, these devices are now very much a reality, offering users the benefit of extra screen size in a compact format.

There are a whole range of different devices available right now. Those come from all manner of different brands, ranging from household names to start ups.

By far the most popular choices are Samsung phones , however. Their offerings in both the flip and book-style folding segments are widely considered to be at or about the top of the pile, making them a great choice for most users.

Now, those who use an older version of the book-style Fold models are getting a must-have software upgrade. That sees the August security patch appear on devices like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and even goes as far back as the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 .

Notably, the most recent model – the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 – is absent from the current list. Still, we'd expect it to be included in the not too distant future.

Security patches are just about the dullest kind of upgrade imaginable, but they're absolutely crucial for the health of your handset. They help to ensure the safety of your device, keeping unwanted intruders at bay.

This particular change sees changes made to a host of lower level bugs, with one critical fix included. That patches a bug which made is possible for attackers to bypass security and gain elevated device privileges, making it possible for them to install malware and steal information.

That's a pretty crucial thing to fix, we'd say. In terms of the roll-out, it appears to focused on the USA in the first instance. As ever, it will likely take place over a matter of weeks, so don't panic if your device doesn't receive it right away.