Software updates are supposed to improve electronic devices by giving them more features, patching bugs, and fixing security issues. However, there is always a risk whenever you change the software of your device. In the worst case, they can turn into an expensive paperweight.
Sadly, it seems that Samsung users are facing such a problem, with many finding their phones unresponsive after installing the latest update.
Over the past few days, more and more reports of Galaxy phones getting stuck during bootup have been popping up online. Based on user complaints so far, it seems that the issue affects all Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy S10 series devices. However, it is possible that other Galaxy products are also affected, such as the Galaxy M51.
It is not yet clear what is causing this. However, there is a theory floating around that a new version of the SmartThings Framework could be to blame. This seems plausible, as an update to the SmartThings Framework was just released, around the same time that many Galaxy devices turned into paperweights.
Unfortunately, there seems to be only one way to fix the issue: a factory reset. Since the device is stuck during boot, you’ll need to boot into recovery mode. If your device has been bricked, I hope you’ve recently backed up your device.
We’ve reached out to Samsung in hopes of learning more about the potential causes of the issue, how widespread it is, and if there are any workarounds other than a factory reset. We’ll report back as soon as we hear anything new.