Samsung has been crushing it in terms of software updates over the past year. It offers three major Android OS updates to its high-end smartphones and some mid-range devices, and two major Android updates to all other devices. It even offers five years of security updates to enterprise models. However, it is no longer the only Android OEM to offer such a long software update support.
OnePlus has announced that it will offer three major Android OS updates and four years of security updates to its flagship smartphones. Its Nord and Nord CE series of mid-range devices will get two major Android updates and three years of security updates, while the Nord N series will get just one major Android OS update. Flagship models released before the OnePlus 8 will stick with the older update schedule, though, which means they will get just two major updates.
Many OnePlus users have been complaining about slower, fewer, and buggier software updates. The company recently announced its merger with OPPO, and it is now merging its OxygenOS with OPPO’s ColorOS. Although the software development resources of both companies are merging, OxygenOS will remain visually intact (at least for the next couple of years). This will help the company in pacing up the development process and rolling out faster software updates.
OnePlus will still release security updates once every two months, and Samsung is better in this aspect as it releases security updates every month for its flagship smartphones. It also remains to be seen if a merger with ColorOS will improve or degrade the software quality. Still, OnePlus’ new software update schedule announcement should be enough to disturb Samsung as it can no longer claim that it offers the longest software support.
Do you think Samsung’s four-year software update policy is enough to attract new buyers and keep existing users? Would you buy a OnePlus phone just because it has promised three major Android OS updates to its flagship products? Let us know in the comments section below.
