No one does software updates in the Android landscape as well as Samsung, but the Korean manufacturer's superiority has been challenged by Google, which recently launched the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. It promised to support all Pixel devices launched in the future with new Android versions and security patches for seven years.
Samsung currently provides four years of major Android OS updates to all its flagships and some of its mid-range devices, along with five years of security updates. The company is already thinking of expanding support for security updates beyond five years, but there is no word on whether it will copy Google's new update policy or at least try to close the gap by increasing the eligibility of its devices to more than four major Android and One UI upgrades.
Samsung needs to stop shipping foldable phones with one-year-old version of Android
But what if Samsung does announce that Galaxy devices will also get big updates for seven years? Well, it would be a move its fans would welcome with open arms. That's for sure. But seven years of updates may not be enough for Galaxy devices if Samsung doesn't fix its annoying habit of launching new flagships with a year-old Android version.
Samsung's 2023 foldables were launched in late July, and the Galaxy S23 FE was unveiled on the same day Google announced the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. In addition to undercutting Samsung with lower price tags, Google launched its new phones running Android 14. The Galaxy S23 FE, Z Fold 5, and Z Flip 5, on the other hand, are all running Android 13.
Before introducing its seven-year policy, Google was promising three major OS upgrades for Pixel smartphones, one less than what is guaranteed for Samsung smartphones and tablets. Even with that policy, the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro would be updated up till Android 17, the same as the Galaxy S23 FE, Z Fold 5, and Z Flip 5.
Google's Pixel phones might always get a more latest version of Android despite releasing around the same time frame
And with Google's new policy in place, the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro will be running Android 21 seven years from now. If Samsung commits to releasing seven Android version updates to its devices today, Android 20 will be the final update for its latest foldable and Fan Edition smartphones.
Samsung will, of course, launch devices with Android 14 preloaded in a few months, including the Galaxy S24 series that's expected to go official in January. But if the comparison is to be made between Google's newest Pixels and the Samsung devices that launch around the same time, the former is guaranteed to stay in the lead because of the disparity in their out-of-the-box software versions.
The story continues after the video, which shows Samsung's version of Android 14 (One UI 6.0) and all its new features.
There's no easy solution for Samsung right now
Unfortunately, Samsung doesn't have an easy solution to this problem. The company's launch schedule for flagships in the second half of the year is likely built around avoiding releasing devices too close to the newest iPhones. iPhones tend to sell like hotcakes between September and December, so Samsung has no choice but to launch its premium phones ahead of its biggest rival or a few months later.
So can Samsung do anything? Well, we're not sure. But it could start by promising seven years of updates to Galaxy devices. One UI tends to get many new software features well ahead of Google's version of Android, and for some, that may be enough to ignore the fact that their Galaxy device won't be getting the same number of updates as Google's Pixel lineup.
