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With 5-6 years of iOS updates and 6-7 years of security patches, Apple’s iPhone has been the gold standard for smartphone longevity for some 15 years now.
It goes without saying, Cupertino’s commitment for extended software support has been a big reason to buy an iPhone over an Android phone - even when talking about an old iPhone model versus a brand new mid-range Android.
However, as it turns out, one of the iPhone’s most unique selling points is finally starting to lose relevance, since after Google’s Pixel 8 series, it’s now Samsung’s brand new Galaxy S24 series, which comes with a promise of 7 years of OS and security updates - so you can keep using your expensive Android flagship phone at least until flying cars are real.
Jokes aside, Google and Samsung’s commitment to support flagship phones for twice as long as they used to just a few years ago, is a huge deal for users! In fact, this might be the biggest upgrade each and every new Galaxy S24 model is bringing this year…
Game-changing Galaxy S24, Galaxy S24+, Galaxy S24 Ultra flagships join Google Pixel 8 to become the most future-proof Android phone ever
Even though both the Galaxy S24 and Pixel 8 promise a whopping 7 years of OS updates, Google’s flagships will be first to get them.
With a promise of 7 years of OS updates on both the Pixel 8 and Galaxy S24 series of phones, Samsung and Google are pulling very far ahead of the rest of the Android pack now.
To be clear, there are two types of people - those who know about software updates and get excited as soon as they hit their phone, and those still running the old version of Android/iOS, and only hit the update button when there’s something wrong with their phone (hoping for a fix).
And although people keep their phones for longer than ever now, most tend to buy a new phone every 3-5 years, which means they’ll never take full advantage of the promised seven OS updates. Hold on then… Do software updates even matter?! Of course they do!
Despite the promise of 7 major OS updates, the Galaxy S24 series won’t be getting updated as quickly as the Pixel and iPhone. Google and Apple’s flagship are always first to get new iOS and Android versions, while Samsung flagships tend to get updated gradually, 2-4 months later, depending on your region.
Google and Samsung’s promise for 7 years of OS updates make Pixel 8 and Galaxy S24 more valuable and amazing than you think
Not to jump too far ahead, but imagine the value the Pixel 8 series and Galaxy S24 series will bring once they are a year-old. $400-600 for flagship phones with 6 years of OS updates? And flagship-grade cameras? And flagship-grade chips? And… you get the point.
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If there’s one thing smartphone users love is getting a bargain, and this is why Pixel 8 and Galaxy S24 are now the most valuable Android flagships ever released. Of course, a “bargain” can mean buying a phone on sale but it also means buying a used/refurbished phone, which is 1-2 years old.
Whether Pixel 8 and Galaxy S24 prices on the resale market will hold up that much better compared to older models is one thing (my guess is that they won’t), but what’s awesome is that buying a used/refurbished old Samsung/Google flagship now seems like an absolute no-brainer.
On the contrary, mid-range phones like the Pixel 7a Galaxy A54 might soon be unable to match the value offered by old Google and Samsung flagships. Of course, you’d have to wait until the Pixel 8 and Galaxy S24 become affordable enough for this to be true. The good news is that the Pixel 8 can already be found for as low as $500 if you shop around.
It’s important to note that although Google and Samsung’s promise for 7 years of OS updates sounds… promising, we’ve never seen a 5-7 year-old Pixel/Galaxy phone running the latest version of Android. In other words, the Galaxy S24 might be able to run Android 20, but would it be able to run it smoothly? Unlike the Galaxy S24+ and Galaxy S24 Ultra, the cheaper Galaxy S24 has only 8GB of RAM, which could turn into a bit of a roadblock in the future.
All eyes on Apple: Will iPhone 16 match Pixel 8 and Galaxy S24 with a promise of 7 iOS updates? We might have to wait another seven years to see...
Apple doesn’t explicitly state how many iOS updates you can expect with your new iPhone. Apple also doesn’t disclose battery capacity, RAM, storage speeds, camera sensor info, and more top secret specs.
Of course, no phone exists in isolation, and although Apple “pioneered” long-term software support, now, Cupertino finds itself in an interesting position - one of the runner-up.
According to Apple’s unwritten rule, iPhones get 5-6 iOS updates, meaning the Pixel 8 and Galaxy S24 should receive 1-2 extra OS updates compared to the iPhone 15 series.
Now, Apple doesn’t specify how many updates each iPhone is supposed to get, which is why I doubt Tim Cook & Co will start doing this now. Instead, it’s more likely that Apple could decide to take advantage of the powerful hardware of the iPhone and simply push a few extra updates to phones like the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 once they are 6-7 years old.
The fact that Apple’s iPhone 15 is the only smartphone running on a 3nm chip should make it relatively future-proof. Then again, the vanilla iPhone 15 has only 6GB of RAM, which serves it pretty well, but what about five years and five iOS updates later?
Samsung’s commitment to long software support challenges other Android phone-makers to do better
If you were to buy a Galaxy S24 Ultra right now, you’d get 7 major OS updates versus 3 with the Galaxy S23 Ultra (already updated to Android 14).
All in all, Google and Samsung are seemingly turning what used to be one of Android’s biggest weaknesses (compared to iPhone) into a true selling point, and that’s awesome to see.
As someone who writes about phones, I’m glad I no longer need to consider the area of software support when giving shopping advice on Google, Samsung, and Apple flagships. Instead, I can focus on comparing other areas of the phones.
Even better, I have a strong feeling Google and Samsung’s software commitment will challenge other phone-makers to up their game, which means OnePlus, Motorola, and Xiaomi users should celebrate too… Well, maybe not yet, but you get the point. In fact, Google and Samsung’s push for longer software support has already inspired many brands to start competing.
OnePlus and Xiaomi now offer 4 years of OS upgrades on their flagship phones, while Xiaomi (notorious for taking ages to push updates) now offers 3 years of OS and 4 years of security updates with mid-range and even some budget devices.
Are you likely to keep your Galaxy S24 for seven years?
Galaxy S24 Ultra with 512GB is now 12% off on Amazon
The S24 Ultra finally sells at discounted prices on Amazon. You can now save $175 on the model with 512GB of storage.
Martin, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, brings a unique blend of humor and insight to his work. His fascination with smartphones began with a Galaxy Young and evolved through a series of trades and upgrades, making him a self-proclaimed smartphone nerd. Martin's content often combines current analysis of market trends with historical references and future predictions. Whether it's a deep dive into technical issues or a first-person commentary on industry events, Martin's articles are designed to inform and engage. His critical perspective is driven by genuine curiosity and a desire to keep readers informed, not by any corporate sponsorship.
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