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Even Xiaomi has a better update policy than Google now

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By Anam Hamid

Published: Sep 05, 2023, 11:39 AM

Even Xiaomi has a better update policy than Google now

Android phones have steadily been getting better with regard to the duration of software support. Samsung and OnePlus promise longer software support than other mainstream Android manufacturers and now, Xiaomi will also provide support for as long as these two companies.

A Weibo post spotted by Android Authority says that the Redmi K60 Extreme Edition will get four operating system updates and five years of security support. The phone was announced in China recently and for now, the renewed update commitment is only applicable to this device. Other Xiaomi devices get three Android OS updates and five years of security updates at most.

The phone will likely be released in other markets such as Europe as the Xiaomi 13T Pro but whether the new update policy will also be valid for the global variant is not known. Regardless, this is a step in the right direction and could further increase the appeal of Xiaomi phones as one of the best budget handsets around.

Xiaomi hasn't said anything about the frequency of updates though. The company isn't exactly the fastest when it comes to delivering new updates.

Google, meanwhile, hasn't updated its update policy in a long time and only offers three Android version updates and five years of software support for its Pixel phones. That's not exactly fitting for a company that's behind Android and it is well aware of that and may soon surpass all Android manufacturers and offer as many updates as Apple.

Rumors say that Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro will not only get more updates than current Android phones, but the new update commitment could also match the iPhone, which is supported far longer than Android handsets. For instance, the 2018's iPhone XS is set to get forthcoming iOS 17 and the 2015's iPhone 6S still gets security patches.

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Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.

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