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The frequency of firmware updates will vary depending on the device. Manufacturers release updates on a regular basis.

Other device manufacturers require the user to visit the manufacturer's website to download and install firmware updates manually. Some internet-connected devices regularly check for new firmware and automatically download and install it.

A motherboard manufacturer releases a BIOS update that enables the motherboard to support new processors.

A router gets an update that improves its performance and stability.

A CD disc writer gains the ability to burn a new type of disk.

Some examples of firmware updates include the following: Firmware updates consist of code that tells the hardware how to behave in a new or modified way. Why are firmware updates important and how do they work?įirmware updates are often issued to fix bugs, prevent firmware hacks, roll out new features, improve security or interact with new media. It is often included in devices not traditionally thought of as having computer control. Today, embedded firmware exists in everything from smartphones to internet of things ( IoT) devices.

He used the term to describe a type of microprogram in between hardware and software. Firmware may be written into read-only memory ( ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory ( EPROM) or flash memory.Īmerican computer scientist Ascher Opler is said to have coined the phrase firmware in a 1967 issue of the publication Datamation. Hardware makers use embedded firmware to control the functions of various hardware devices and systems, much like a computer's operating system ( OS) controls the function of software applications.