Samsung mentioned in passing during its August 5 virtual Unpacked event that it would release three years of OS upgrades for Galaxy devices from now on. There was some confusion about those remarks as it hadn't been made clear whether the company meant Android OS or One UI upgrades.
The company has traditionally provided only two years of Android OS upgrades for its Galaxy devices. That's despite the fact that many of its customers have been demanding an additional year of OS support. Samsung has officially confirmed today that it's now going to release three Android OS upgrades for Galaxy smartphones and tablets.
Samsung officially commits to three years of Android OS upgrades
Samsung says that it has taken this decision in light of the fact that people are now holding on to their devices for longer. With fewer people likely to switch phones after two years just to get new software features, this move may also help reduce electronic waste.
This also allows the company to extend the lifecycle of its products. Samsung is among the very few Android OEMs that have made a commitment to providing three OS upgrades. As flagship smartphones continue to get more expensive, this will also be an added incentive for customers who invest $1,400 or more in a device. They'll have the peace of mind that the handset would get the next three iterations of Android.
The way this works is very simple. Say you bought the Galaxy S20 this year. It came with Android 10 out of the box. It's now eligible for three OS upgrades so it's going to get Android 11 this year, Android 12 in 2021 and Android 13 in 2022. Samsung is only extending this privilege to its Galaxy S, Galaxy Note, Galaxy Z (foldable) and select models of its Galaxy A series, though.
Eligible devices include the entire Galaxy S10 lineup as well as the Galaxy S10 Lite and the complete Galaxy S20 series. All Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy Note 20 models are eligible including the Galaxy Note 10 Lite. The Galaxy Z Fold 2, Galaxy Z Flip, Galaxy Z Flip 5G and the original Galaxy Fold are on the list as well.
The Galaxy A71 5G, A71, Galaxy A51 5G A51 and Galaxy A90 5G are the only mid-rangers on this list. Samsung's Galaxy Tab S6, S6 5G, S6 Lite are included alongside all Galaxy Tab S7 and S7+ models. New Galaxy S, Galaxy Note and Galaxy Z phones released from now on will also be supported for three years in addition to select Galaxy A and Galaxy Tab models.
