After trailing behind Apple in the software support department since the beginning of smartphones, Samsung and Google finally stepped up—both now promise seven years of Android updates. But what does that mean for you, and is it really as good as it sounds?
It feels great to buy a phone and know it'll receive software upgrades and new features for years on end. That's especially important these days, as phones don't take the same huge leaps year over year, and each new release is more iterative than revolutionary. That said, many of us won't use the same phone we have today in six–seven years, and software isn't the only thing owners consider.
The 7-Year Update Promise

Getting the latest software update each year is just as exciting as it is important. Once your Android device is too old to receive updates, you'll need to start thinking about a replacement. It's a situation many of us have faced, but it's slowly getting better.
With the new Galaxy S24 launch, Samsung promised seven years of Android OS updates, matching Google's efforts for the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. Before that announcement, many Samsung devices were only guaranteed three to five years of maintenance updates and even fewer major Android OS upgrades.
It should be noted that the countdown starts on release day, not when you activate the phone. So, If you get a Galaxy S24 series or one of Google's new phones, it'll be supported past 2030, and you'll see Android 21. While that's impressive, it's a little too good to be true.
Temper Your Software Expectations

While there are tremendous benefits from promising to support phones for that long, which we'll discuss in a minute, it's not all sunshine and rainbows. You'll absolutely need to temper your expectations regarding device performance, new features, and, more importantly, battery life.
For starters, while phones don't see the same technological jumps as in the early days, things are still evolving, and you'll most likely want a new phone long before your current model stops getting OS updates. Manufacturers themselves will handicap older models; you'll miss out on new features and likely end up buying a new phone anyway.
A prime example is Samsung's new suite of Galaxy AI features from the Galaxy S24. Galaxy AI delivers several exciting generative AI tools to our pocket computers, but you're out of luck if you have the Galaxy S22. It won't be seeing any of that goodness. Only the Fold/Flip 5 series and last year's Galaxy S23 will get to enjoy Galaxy AI. Samsung's Galaxy S22 is still a great phone and will get several more Android upgrades, but it won't get everything that's new, and that problem will compound over time.
Apple does the same thing with the latest versions of iOS, and even Google's new AI tools, like Circle to Search, are only available on new phones. Just because you're promised all these updates doesn't mean you'll get access to new features. It's lip service, so temper your expectations.
Plus, when things get old, performance starts to suffer. Our vehicles get fewer miles per gallon, laptops slow down, phones lag slightly, and battery life quickly goes downhill. Every time you charge a phone, the battery degrades a little bit, which is why your older phone doesn't last as long as it did when it was new. And that's precisely why manufacturers don't make phones with removable batteries. It's planned obsolescence because they want to sell more phones, not see owners keep the same device for four–five years. That isn't good for business. Remember Apple's batterygate?
Promising seven years of updates is wonderful, but rest assured, manufacturers will limit features, improve the hardware, and come up with exciting new things to convince everyone to upgrade.
Timely Updates Are More Important

What's more important than having a phone that gets software upgrades for nearly a decade? Timely software updates, maintenance releases, and bug fixes.
There's a reason Google offers multiple Pixel Feature Drop updates throughout the year. It's a way to improve phones easily, add new features, fix critical bugs or security exploits, and ensure proper performance. Samsung's also pretty good at releasing monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly bug-fixing updates. On the other hand, we have Motorola, which is arguably one of the worst regarding timely Android updates.
We've all seen Google release a new version of Android, like Android 13, and then wait six months to a year before it comes to our phones. That's a problem, and one I think is more important than offering seven years of OS upgrades.
Now that phones aren't rapidly evolving each year when a new model arrives, most U.S. users keep a device for around 2.5 years, according to this study. We need faster updates for the first two–four years, not a phone that'll get a paired-down limited version of Android 21 that's missing critical features and has terrible battery life after seven years.
I don't mean to sound negative, but promising to update a phone for seven years isn't as big a deal as Samsung or Google make it sound. I'm not the only one who feels that way. OnePlus president and COO said something similar, claiming these new update policies miss the point.
Long Support Lifecycles Are Good for Everyone

It's not all bad news, though. Vowing to keep flagship phones updated to Android's latest and greatest version for seven years certainly has other benefits.
The second-hand market is absolutely massive, and millions of people everywhere buy lightly used, pre-owned, or refurbished phones. It's an excellent way to save money, and many parents buy used or pass on older devices to their children. You don't need to spend $1,300 on the latest iPhone Pro Max or Galaxy S24 Ultra when you can get a comparable model from yesteryear.
In 2026, the Google Pixel 8 will be an excellent option for those looking for a used phone. It'll still be competent even though it's three years old, run the latest software, receive critical updates and security patches, plus have a little skin left. Someone could buy it knowing it'll still get three more years of updates from Google. That's great!
Another thing to consider is electric waste and the environment. Landfills receive millions of tons of electronics every year, and the problem isn't going away anytime soon. Even though you can recycle old phones or gadgets, having products with longer lifecycles is good for everyone. It's great for current owners, potential second-hand buyers, and the planet.
Google and Samsung are finally starting to support their devices for longer periods, and competition means others will likely follow. That's great and a win for consumers everywhere, but just know that it's not as amazing as it sounds.
The above is the detailed content of 7 Years of Android Updates Isn't as Good as It Sounds. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

Google Wallet Expands Tap-to-Pay Support to More Banks Nationwide Google Wallet continues its nationwide expansion of tap-to-pay functionality, adding support for 25 more banks and credit unions this week, following the addition of 36 last month. Th

Mooink V: The first full-color folding e-reader, with portability upgraded again! The greatest charm of e-readers is their portability. But what if portability can be further improved? Readmoo's Mooink V is the first full-color folding e-reader built based on this concept. The Readmoo Mooink V unveiled at the Touch Taiwan Display Technology Trade Show features an 8-inch E Ink Gallery 3 foldable touch screen with a resolution of up to 300 PPI. Weighing about 0.5 pounds, it can be locked in a half-folded state of 90 degrees, providing a reading experience similar to paper books. While folding screens usually have visible creases, the Mooink V is no exception, with its creases

The iPhone's sleek design has always stood out, but Android phones have explored a vast landscape of aesthetics, resulting in some truly unique—and sometimes bizarre—designs. While many were impractical, some were genuinely innovative, and I find my

Google Fights Android Battery Drain with New Wake Lock Metric Tired of your Android phone dying too quickly? Google's got a plan. The company is launching a multi-year initiative to improve Android battery life, starting with a new metric in the Go

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic: A Classic Design at a Discounted Price! The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic is back, offering the beloved design and functionality of its predecessor, the Watch 4 Classic. This smartwatch boasts a returning rotati

Turn on the ADB debugging mode of Amazon Fire tablets and easily control your device! This article will guide you step by step how to enable ADB and provide some practical command examples. First, you need to enable the developer options. Open the Settings app on the Fire tablet, find the Device Options or About menu, and then find the Serial Number item. Click "Serial Number" for about seven times in a row, and you will see the prompt message "You are the developer now!" and the developer option is enabled. Related ##### How to install the Google Play Store on Amazon Fire Tablet The Amazon Fire tablet is limited to the Amazon App Store, but it runs Fire OS, a custom version of Android.

This review explores the Minimal Phone, a unique smartphone boasting an E-Paper display and a physical keyboard. Its unconventional design aims to curb phone addiction while maintaining modern functionality. A Retro-Modern Blend: The Minimal Phone

Google enhances Android security with automatic restarts after three days of inactivity. This new feature, delivered via a Google Play services update (not an OS update), improves security by returning devices to an encrypted "Before First Unloc


Hot AI Tools

Undresser.AI Undress
AI-powered app for creating realistic nude photos

AI Clothes Remover
Online AI tool for removing clothes from photos.

Undress AI Tool
Undress images for free

Clothoff.io
AI clothes remover

AI Hentai Generator
Generate AI Hentai for free.

Hot Article

Hot Tools

mPDF
mPDF is a PHP library that can generate PDF files from UTF-8 encoded HTML. The original author, Ian Back, wrote mPDF to output PDF files "on the fly" from his website and handle different languages. It is slower than original scripts like HTML2FPDF and produces larger files when using Unicode fonts, but supports CSS styles etc. and has a lot of enhancements. Supports almost all languages, including RTL (Arabic and Hebrew) and CJK (Chinese, Japanese and Korean). Supports nested block-level elements (such as P, DIV),

VSCode Windows 64-bit Download
A free and powerful IDE editor launched by Microsoft

EditPlus Chinese cracked version
Small size, syntax highlighting, does not support code prompt function

MantisBT
Mantis is an easy-to-deploy web-based defect tracking tool designed to aid in product defect tracking. It requires PHP, MySQL and a web server. Check out our demo and hosting services.

SublimeText3 Chinese version
Chinese version, very easy to use