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T-Mobile’s Samsung Galaxy Note9 units have started receiving Android 9 Pie, about a month after Sprint and AT&T did the same, and it is coming as a firmware version N960U1UEU1CSB3. T-Mobile is a bit late, but the most important thing is, the update is finally here, and it has started rolling out to T-Mobile consumers OTA (Over the Air). Do note that this is quite a large update, it weighs around 1.8GB, so make sure you have the necessary space on your phone before you proceed.
As it’s usually the case, the phone will notify you when the update is available, and you will be able to download it, unless you’ve disabled the auto-check-for-updates options via settings. You can also manually check whether the update is available for your unit from the Settings app. Head over to the Settings app, tap “Software update”, and then hit “Download updates manually”.
T-Mobile also notes that you can update your phone via your computer, if that’s what you prefer. You do need to use Samsung’s proprietary cable in order to do it, notes T-Mobile, and it is recommendable that you backup everything before you proceed in this manner. It is much easier to update via your phone by waiting for an OTA update, though, so we would not recommend messing with a PC, but it is an option.
T-Mobile had released Android 9 Pie for the Galaxy S9 and S9+, while it is currently working on doing the same for the Galaxy S8, S8+, S8 Active, Galaxy Note8, Galaxy J7 Star, and the Galaxy A6.
Along with a number of stock Android 9 Pie features that will become available when you update, you will also get Samsung’s Android overlay with its own set of features. Samsung is rolling out its new One UI Android overlay with Android 9 Pie, and the main premise of this UI is to make one-handed use a breeze.
One UI is somewhat different than Samsung’s previous skins, not only is it adapted for one-handed use, at least as far as Samsung’s apps are concerned, it also looks somewhat cleaner than Samsung’s previous iteration of an Android skin. Along with this update, T-Mobile’s Galaxy Note9 users will also get an Android security patch for January.
Adaptive Battery and Adaptive Brightness features are a part of this update as well, and your battery should improve following this update. Settings within One UI look quite a bit different compared to Samsung Experience UI, and you’ll also get a new and updated look of most Samsung applications.
The Samsung Galaxy Note9 has been around for a while now, it had been introduced back in August last year, and the phone originally shipped with Android 8.1 Oreo. The Galaxy Note9 is still one of Samsung’s most powerful devices, but since the Galaxy S10 series arrived, it is no longer considered to be the company’s flagship. The Galaxy Note10 is expected to arrive in either August or September this year, and that device will ship with Android 9 Pie out of the box, of course.