Pressured by Google's Pixel 8 promise, Samsung seeks to extend its Galaxy S24 software support
Over the last few years, Google was hearing it from Pixel owners. How could the company that makes the Pixel hardware and Android software only promise three years of OS updates while Samsung offers four years of such updates? Well, Google responded this year by promising seven years of OS and security updates for the new Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro even outdoing Apple, another company responsible for both the hardware and software of a major smartphone line.
So now the ball is back in Samsung's court and according to Android Police, the firm is looking to expand the number of years of software support for its upcoming flagship Galaxy S24 line. Currently, Samsung promises four years of OS updates and five years of security updates to owners of the Galaxy S21 series, Galaxy S22 series, and Galaxy S23 line.
Presently, Samsung updates more than 1 billion Galaxy devices each month and over 10 billion each year. It has honed its craft to the point that Samsung now releases security updates to both flagship and mid-range models before Google disseminates its monthly update to the Pixel line. As impressive as this sounds, Google's latest move will require some type of response from Samsung.
Google gives Pixel 8 users seven years of Android security updates; can Samsung match this?
At Samsung's yearly developer conference held in San Francisco last week, the company's Principal Engineer and Technical Program Manager of the Mobile eXperience Security Team, Shin-Chul Baik, said that Sammy has been discussing increasing security update support for longer than five years. He pointed out that Samsung has invested time and brain power to deliver timely security patches to more than 150 Galaxy devices worldwide.
Samsung itself breaks down the handset models that are eligible for monthly, quarterly, and bi-annual security updates. The devices eligible to receive a security update monthly include:
- Galaxy Z Fold 2 5G, Galaxy Z Fold 3 5G, Galaxy Z Flip 3 5G, Galaxy Z Fold 4, Galaxy Z Flip 4, Galaxy Z Fold 5, Galaxy Z Flip 5, W23, W23 flip, W24, W24 Flip
- Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20 5G, Galaxy S20+, Galaxy S20+ 5G, Galaxy S20 Ultra, Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G, Galaxy S20 FE, Galaxy S20 FE 5G, Galaxy S21 5G, Galaxy S21+ 5G, Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G, Galaxy S21 FE 5G, Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22+, Galaxy S22 Ultra, Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23+, Galaxy S23 Ultra
- Galaxy Note20, Galaxy Note20 5G, Galaxy Note20 Ultra, Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G
- Enterprise Models: Galaxy A52, Galaxy A52 5G, Galaxy A52s 5G, Galaxy A53 5G, Galaxy A54 5G, Galaxy Xcover5, Galaxy Xcover6 Pro
Samsung might not be able to match the seven years of OS updates that Google has announced for the Pixel 8 line, but we could see it match the seven years of security updates that the Pixel 8 series will receive.
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