To date, Google and Samsung offer the best software support with 7 years of Android updates, thus putting themselves on a par with Apple
When buying a smartphone, one of the most important aspects to consider is the software support that the manufacturing company offers to the device. In fact, receiving regular operating system and security patch updates is essential to keeping your smartphone performing, safe and secure keeping up with the latest Android news. In this article we will talk about which manufacturers offer the best software support for their Android devices and how they compare to Apple, the queen (or former) of updates.
What are the updates for?
In general, updates for Android are divided between software updates e security patches. The former bring new features and improvements to the operating system, while the latter fix vulnerabilities and bugs that can compromise the security of your data and device.
Both are important to ensure good user experience and longer phone life. However, not all companies offer the same level of software support for their smartphones. Some are more generous and punctual, others more spring. So let’s see an overview of the main manufacturers of the moment.
Android Updates: Google
Google is the company that develops and maintains the Android operating system, so it is natural that its Pixel smartphones are the first to receive updates. Starting from the Pixel 8 seriesGoogle promises up to 7 years of operating system updates and security patches for your devices.
This means that these devices will be able to get up to a possible Android 21 and benefit from the latest fixes and features for a very long period. However, models before the Pixel 8 series only receive 3 years of major and 5 years of patch safety.
Android Updates: Samsung
Samsung is the leader in the Android smartphone market and also offers great software support for its devices. Starting from the series Galaxy S24 in fact, Samsung promises 7 years of operating system updates e 7 year patch security for its high-end smartphones.
At the same time, some models of the series Galaxy A can benefit well 4 years of major and 5 of patch (still a remarkable result considering the lower price range).
Apple
Although it does not produce Android smartphones, it is fair to mention Apple since main competitor of Google and Samsung in the smartphone market.
iPhones are known to offer very long and reliable software support, up to 5 years of operating system updates (or even more as demonstrated by the iPhone 6s). This is one of the reasons why many users prefer iPhones to Android smartphones.
Android updates: OPPO and OnePlus
OPPO and OnePlus are two sister companies that produce high-end Android smartphones. Both have announced that they will offer up to 4 years of operating system updates e 5 year patch security for some of their more expensive smartphones.
This represents a great step forward compared to the past, when they only offered 2 or 3 years of software support. However, this extended support does not apply to all their models, but only to selected ones (typically premium ones).
Android updates: Xiaomi
At the moment Xiaomi at least promises 4 years of operating system updates e 5 year patch security for its smartphones, starting from the latest models of the 13T series.
However, the situation remains more uncertain in the case of lower-end smartphones, with i typical 2 or maximum 3 years of support. In any case, we will see how the company will behave now with the new HyperOS interface.
Android Updates: Fairphone
Fairphone is a Dutch company that produces eco-friendly and sustainable smartphones, made with recycled materials and eco-friendly. Furthermore, its smartphones are very easy to repair and upgrade with new or used components.
To limit the need to change smartphones, Fairphone promises up to 7 years of operating system updates, net of one consistency not exactly record-breaking. This is one of the distinctive features of Fairphone, which makes it an interesting alternative for those who want an ethical and long-lasting smartphone.
Other companies
There are many other companies that produce Android smartphones, but which do not offer very long or reliable software support. Some of these are ASUS, Huawei, Motorola, Nokia and Sony.
In general, these companies deliver only 2 or 3 years of updates operating system and security patches, sometimes only for their more expensive or popular models. In some cases, updates are also very slow or irregular.
Conclusions
In conclusion, we can say that software support is a crucial factor to take into consideration when buying an Android smartphone. If you want to have a smartphone that is always up to date, safe and high-performance, we advise you to choose a company that offers long and punctual software support. At the moment, the companies that offer the best software support on the Android side are Google e Samsung. Applehowever, remains an obligatory choice for those who prefer iOS to the green robot.
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