With iOS 26, Apple is close to matching Samsung's software update policy

For the last few years, Samsung has been offering its flagship smartphones with a promise of OS upgrades for the highest number of years in the industry. In 2022, it was the first brand to promise OS upgrades for four years, and in 2024, the company bumped that number up to seven years, making it market leader once again.

Samsung's direct rival in the mobile industry, Apple, has promised to offer software updates to iPhones for at least five years. While Apple is promising software updates for fewer years compared to Samsung, Apple is delivering beyond what it had promised and is close to matching Samsung’s software update policy with iOS 26.

Yesterday, at WWDC 2025, Apple announced iOS 26. What’s interesting is that the brand is offering it to devices as old as the iPhone 11 series, which is almost six years old now. What’s even more impressive is that Apple hadn't started promising software updates till the iPhone 15 series, and still, the brand is offering the iPhone 11 series with up to six OS upgrades.

While that's great, a lot of people are criticising iOS 26 for its Liquid Glass design philosophy as its almost-transparent design may have readability issues. Apple’s new OS for iPhones also offers many new AI features, including live translations, which is something that Samsung has been offering for quite a while now. Samsung has even mocked Apple for copying One UI.