Galaxy S24: how many years of software support?
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Samsung is stepping up and it’s now offering a solid 7 (seven!) years of support for the just-announced Galaxy S24 line. That should mean seven generations of OS upgrades and seven years of security updates.
What this means for you and your brand new Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24+ or Galaxy S24 Ultra phone is that:
Back in the very beginning of October 2023, when Google presented the Pixel 8 duo, the search engine giant made an eyebrow-raising promise. Google said it’s now offering full seven years of software support, including Android OS upgrades, security updates and Google’s regular Feature Drops (plus 7-years long repair parts support) – meaning the Pixel 8 and the Pixel 8 Pro will be supported all the way into 2030.
This announcement immediately sparked a ton of related rumors, discussing and suggesting how Samsung would answer. Less than a week later, Shin-Chul Baik, the Principal Engineer and Technical Program Manager of the Security Team for Samsung’s Mobile eXperience division shared some of Samsung’s plans and said that the company has been “actively discussing” what should be doing about providing Galaxy owners with “long-term security updates” for “more than five years of support”.
Samsung’s seven-year support comes with the usual disclaimer that availability and timing of Android OS upgrades and security updates may vary by device model and market.
Currently, Samsung delivers software security updates on an impressive scale: over 150+ Samsung devices are receiving security updates on its monthly, quarterly, and bi-annual release schedules in markets across the world.
Until Google threw everyone off a cliff with the seven-year promise, Apple was well ahead in the software support game. Since it’s been using its own chipsets, the Cupertino giant can decide how long it will update and carry them through time.
For example, Apple released the iPhone XR and the iPhone XS in 2018 (!) with the promise to support the iOS 17, basically putting them in the same ballpark (at least on the software side) as the iPhone 15 and the iPhone 15 Pro which will be Apple’s champions for the greater part of 2024.
In contrast, the Galaxy S9 (that also came out in 2018) stopped getting updates in March 2022.
Even if you’re the type of person who changes his phone every year and couldn’t care less about the longer years of support, the benefits are hard to ignore.
First of all – money. Yes, money. More years of support will do you great when the time comes for a resale.
The extended software/security support means that the device is automatically getting a longer lifespan if the hardware part is okay. Many people are saying that a phone’s battery will severely degrade after 5-7 years of usage, thus making the extended OS/security support useless. Maybe, but a battery replacement procedure is a piece of cake if you take the phone to a repairman who knows their thing.
Not to mention that in mid-2023, the EU Parliament approved a new law to make batteries on phones easily replaceable by 2027. You won’t even have to take your phone to the repair shop…
Before the “money” factor, we should underscore (with a redrum-dipped brush) the fact that software/security updates are essential when it comes to a phone’s proper functioning. They address vulnerabilities and security threats – that’s how security flaws are being fixed, protecting users from potential cyberattacks and data breaches.
Then, there’s the “I really like my device and the way it works… and I don’t want to get used to another phone” argument which is what people really mean when they say “No, it’s okay” after you ask them “Buddy, aren’t you going to finally ditch that medieval phone?!”
Again, extended support equals a device that gets to live longer and full-fledged life. Those of us who have grown accustomed to our phones will appreciate that greatly.
And finally, it’s cheaper to rock a phone for two years, then give it to your kids or parents and rest assured that the device will be supported for some years more.
Of course, longer software support will not magically turn your aging, gracefully silvering phone into a cutting-edge powerhouse war machine of the present day. Also, don’t expect all (if any) of the upcoming AI goodies from the rest of the decade ahead to be enabled on your phone, even if it’s up-to-date and supported.
Pre-orders begin today, January 17, 2024, through January 30, 2024.
What this means for you and your brand new Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24+ or Galaxy S24 Ultra phone is that:
- It comes with One UI6.1/Android 14 out of the box;
- It’s supposed to get Android 21;
- It’s supposed to have you covered up until 2031.
Is that much or not?
Back in the very beginning of October 2023, when Google presented the Pixel 8 duo, the search engine giant made an eyebrow-raising promise. Google said it’s now offering full seven years of software support, including Android OS upgrades, security updates and Google’s regular Feature Drops (plus 7-years long repair parts support) – meaning the Pixel 8 and the Pixel 8 Pro will be supported all the way into 2030.
Samsung’s seven-year support comes with the usual disclaimer that availability and timing of Android OS upgrades and security updates may vary by device model and market.
Currently, Samsung delivers software security updates on an impressive scale: over 150+ Samsung devices are receiving security updates on its monthly, quarterly, and bi-annual release schedules in markets across the world.
What about Apple?
Until Google threw everyone off a cliff with the seven-year promise, Apple was well ahead in the software support game. Since it’s been using its own chipsets, the Cupertino giant can decide how long it will update and carry them through time.
For example, Apple released the iPhone XR and the iPhone XS in 2018 (!) with the promise to support the iOS 17, basically putting them in the same ballpark (at least on the software side) as the iPhone 15 and the iPhone 15 Pro which will be Apple’s champions for the greater part of 2024.
What is the extended software support good for?
Even if you’re the type of person who changes his phone every year and couldn’t care less about the longer years of support, the benefits are hard to ignore.
First of all – money. Yes, money. More years of support will do you great when the time comes for a resale.
The extended software/security support means that the device is automatically getting a longer lifespan if the hardware part is okay. Many people are saying that a phone’s battery will severely degrade after 5-7 years of usage, thus making the extended OS/security support useless. Maybe, but a battery replacement procedure is a piece of cake if you take the phone to a repairman who knows their thing.
Not to mention that in mid-2023, the EU Parliament approved a new law to make batteries on phones easily replaceable by 2027. You won’t even have to take your phone to the repair shop…
Before the “money” factor, we should underscore (with a redrum-dipped brush) the fact that software/security updates are essential when it comes to a phone’s proper functioning. They address vulnerabilities and security threats – that’s how security flaws are being fixed, protecting users from potential cyberattacks and data breaches.
Again, extended support equals a device that gets to live longer and full-fledged life. Those of us who have grown accustomed to our phones will appreciate that greatly.
And finally, it’s cheaper to rock a phone for two years, then give it to your kids or parents and rest assured that the device will be supported for some years more.
Of course, longer software support will not magically turn your aging, gracefully silvering phone into a cutting-edge powerhouse war machine of the present day. Also, don’t expect all (if any) of the upcoming AI goodies from the rest of the decade ahead to be enabled on your phone, even if it’s up-to-date and supported.
Pre-orders begin today, January 17, 2024, through January 30, 2024.
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