Recognition: Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority
- Chinese phone maker Vivo has been promising important Android updates for future flagships for three years.
- The new policy will apply to Vivo X-Series phones launched after July 2021.
- Phones released in India, Australia and Europe are eligible for the Android Advanced Updates.
It looks like Samsung started a trend towards advanced software updates in the Android smartphone world. Last week, Chinese phone maker Oppo announced that the Find X3 series would receive software support for three years. Now the company’s sister brand, Vivo, has also stepped in, announcing Android updates for its flagship X-series phones for three years.
Vivo will provide three major Android operating system upgrades and security updates for select models starting after July 2021. This means phones like the recently unveiled Vivo X60 series or last year’s X50 phones aren’t eligible for three Android updates.
“The flagship phones of the X-series are equipped with first-class hardware and designed to last. We want to make sure our customers receive software support that meets their expectations, ”said Yujian Shi, senior vice president and CTO of Vivo.
Vivo’s new software update policy includes future flagship phones launched in Europe, India and Australia. Existing Premium X-Series models that are not eligible will continue to receive regular Android security updates.
While Vivo’s move to roll out more Android updates is a step in the right direction, it’s unfortunate that only the company’s flagship phones will benefit. Samsung, on the other hand, has also extended Android operating system updates to its cheaper Galaxy A phones for three years.
However, we hope that other phone manufacturers, especially Xiaomi, will benefit from the growing number of brands that commit to three years of Android updates. Otherwise, it will become increasingly difficult for them to compete at a time when customers consider long-term software support to be an important factor before they buy new phones.