Samsung updates for devices just extended to 4 years
Recognition: Oliver Cragg / Android Authority
- Samsung just announced a new policy for Samsung updates.
- The policy states that all Android-based Galaxy devices will receive security patches for four years starting in 2019 or later.
- This includes every Galaxy line: Galaxy S, Note, Z, A, XCover and Tab for a total of over 130 models.
Last year, Samsung surprised us all by announcing that it would support its newest phones with three years of Android upgrades. This is an extra year on top of the de facto two-year upgrade promise that Google demands (but rarely enforces) OEMs.
Today Samsung increased that promise. Now every Galaxy brand Android device will receive security patches for four years starting in 2019 or later. These Samsung updates land on all devices in the various product lines: Galaxy S, Note, Z, A, XCover and Tab.
Combined with the previous policy change, this means that all future Samsung phones and tablets will receive Android upgrades for three years and security patches for four years. Aside from Google itself, there is no other company with such a comprehensive policy.
Samsung Updates: After all, a company takes this seriously
Samsung has long been one of the worst culprits when it comes to security patch bugs for its devices. It’s also been incredibly slow getting the latest Android versions to even the most expensive flagships.
In the past two years, however, the company has turned around. Today, almost all flagship phones are on the latest version of Android from 2019 or later. Many of its active mid-range devices are available on either Android 11 or at least Android 10.
Connected: We asked, you told us: Android upgrades are an important requirement
In addition, Samsung updates to Android security are now rapid. There were many months in 2020 that Samsung released the latest Android security patch even before Google rolled it over to Pixel devices.
Given that mobile security is a huge concern, it’s great that Samsung is taking the lead here. With other companies continuing to operate at the minimum level – and others even going backwards – we can only hope that this will spark a change across the industry.
