SamFw
No one can match Samsung when it comes to software support. The South Korean tech giant currently leads the pack, offering up to seven years of Android OS updates for high-end devices like the Galaxy S24 and S25 series, matching Google's policy for the Pixel. However, the gap is narrowing for mid-range and budget models.
Samsung now offers six years of major updates for some of its new budget models, something that was previously limited to expensive devices. This marks a big step forward as users don't have to pay a fortune to get long-term software support. In fact, some budget devices get updates longer than older flagships. For example, the Galaxy S23, which is due in 2023, will only get four major updates, while the Galaxy M16 5G, which costs just 3 million, is promised to get up to six Android versions.
List of Samsung Galaxy devices getting 6 major Android updates
- Galaxy A56 5G
- Galaxy A36 5G
- Galaxy A26 5G
- Galaxy A16
- Galaxy A16 5G
- Galaxy M16 5G
All of these devices will receive six years of Android OS updates along with six years of security patches from Samsung. This ensures that users can continue using their phones without worrying about software obsolescence.
In the past, Samsung has been criticized for only providing two years of OS updates, which quickly made phones obsolete. However, the company made a big move in 2022 when it extended support to four years for its flagships and some mid-range models.
In 2024, Samsung further upgraded this policy when it announced seven years of updates for the Galaxy S24 series, directly competing with the Google Pixel. For the mid-range segment, the new six-year update policy has started with the Galaxy A16 and is now expanding to many other devices. This helps Samsung consolidate its position as the brand with the best software support policy in the Android market.
Samsung's expansion of its software update policy is not only beneficial to users, but also puts a lot of pressure on other brands. Currently, most Android manufacturers only provide a maximum of four Android updates, except for Google and Samsung. Oppo is the only other brand that provides five updates, but only applies to flagship models.
Thanks to this policy, Samsung is becoming the top choice for those who want to own an Android device with a long-term support period. This is not only a strong point in Samsung's competitive strategy but also shapes a new trend for the entire smartphone industry.
