Galaxy S5 Specs, Rumors, Release Date: New Firmware Improves Camera, Gallery, and Fingerprint Scanning

A visitor looks at a Samsung Electronics Galaxy S5 smartphone at a showroom in Seoul on April 29, 2014. (JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images)

A new firmware update is available for Samsung’s flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S5.

The Galaxy S5 firmware update (G900FXXU1ANE2) for the international version of the smartphone is currently available for UK customers (International model - SMG900F), according to SamMobile.

The update should reach other regions via OTA or Samsung Kies software at a later date.

The firmware update significantly improves the speed at which the camera app and the gallery app boot up. Previously, both apps took a while to start up, and the gallery app in particular was rather sluggish.

Another feature that was tweaked is the fingerprint scanner. After the firmware update, the fingerprint scanner becomes more accurate, and has a quicker reading time.

Users of the Galaxy S5 should find that the smartphone has improved RAM management, and on the whole, will enjoy a better user experience.

So far, a stability update and a Knox 2.0 security suite update has been released for the popular Galaxy S5 since its launch in April 2014.

On the OS side, the Galaxy S5 and a number of other Samsung products should be getting an update to Android KitKat 4.4.3, which is rumored to be released in June.