At long last, Samsung stops launching new phones with old software
It has finally happened: Samsung has stopped launching new smartphones with a year-old version of Android. If you have been following our recent coverage, you have probably heard that the Galaxy A51, Galaxy A71, and Galaxy A01, launched in the last couple of weeks, run Android 10 out of the box. Samsung is also prepping other new phones with Android 10 preloaded. This marks the first time the company isn’t waiting for the launch of its next Galaxy S flagship before it starts putting out smartphones with the latest version of Android.
It’s unclear why Samsung decided to start doing so from 2019. We’re assuming the fact that Android 10 (and One UI 2.0) isn’t a big update has something to do with it. Samsung has already released the stable Android 10 update for two budget phones (the Galaxy M20 and Galaxy M30) and is aiming to update a lot more devices come January. Furthermore, the Galaxy S10 started receiving the Android 10 update in late November, a full month before Samsung released Android Pie for the Galaxy S9 last year.
It’s a clear indication that developing Android 10 for its devices has been a relatively easy affair for Samsung. Or, well, maybe Google asked the Korean giant to get its act together now that other manufacturers are being quicker with Android updates, and it obliged. Whatever the reason may be, it’s great to see Samsung finally stop launching new phones with outdated software. Here’s hoping the company will also start providing three Android OS updates to its flagship devices in the future.
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Note 8 was launched with old software and it got only 2 major updates. I quit samsung just because of this. I am happy with my note 8 but this was the last time that I buy a Samsung phone.
Dont see why its a big of a deal. Never cared for android version. Samsung launchers always were a couple of years ahead google, and still are. All the new cool android features are just samsungs two years ago things. And I would kill for the option to roll back from one ui to samsung expirience on my s9 without bricking my phone. Hate it. Just hate it
Main advantage is that these Android 10-powered devices will get updates till Android 12. If they had been launched with Pie, these phones would A) be outdated on day of launch as they would run a year old version of Android and B) only get updated till Android 11. It’s not always about stock Android features, Samsung adds its own as well (and takes some away, sadly).
in that case with the addition of the project mainline, we can expect samsung to release android 12 for galaxy s10 series in the future.
Why we need to buy 1000$ flagships its only supports 2 years of major updates like samsung budget serise.
Better option is move to ios because it will be receive 5 years of major updates. Iphone 5s still getting security updates😂
Agree!
Wow this is a good news
It’s not Samsung’s decision! Google is forcing manufacturers to launch with android 10! Lol
I’d bet anything if Google wasn’t enforcing all new android devices to ship running 10, we’d be getting Galaxy A devices in Jan 2020 running Pie!
Categorically – Google is not allowing any new devices to run anything but 10
Inf fact, Samsung could certify new devices with Android Pie by January 31, 2020, according to Google’s schedule.
Of course, nothing prevents Samsung from presenting after this date devices still with Android Pie, but they must necessarily be certified by the deadline set by Google.
This sounds more like a wish, then reality.
Wether a phone comes out with the latest Android depends on other factors.
Like is the new Android out soon enough to incorporate it in the phones development.
Adapt it to the phone, beta testing etc all takes time.
Don’t think beta testing factors as much when you’re loading a new version of Android on a new device. Existing devices have a variety of setups of apps and files and other data for each user, so beta testing becomes more important to make sure things don’t break. Probably why even the Note 10+ 5G for T-Mobile comes preloaded with Android 10 before Samsung released the update for existing Note 10 users.
And new ones get the apps installed, so eventually they would be the same as an phone that gets updated.
But the apps would not be the big one, different components and drivers need to be tested as working together on a software level. Tweak them where necessary.
Also the Note 10+ 5G launched with Android 10 (T-Mobile network in USA at least).
Lets hope that they will launch the Note 11 with Android 11…
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