The Samsung Galaxy S24 series smartphones have arrived. However, with all of the discussion about AI, you may have overlooked one of its most significant advancements.
Samsung will support all three new handsets, the S24, S24+, and S24 Ultra, for at least seven years. This ensures that operating system and security upgrades will continue until 2031.
The devices running Android 14 out of the box should be compatible with Android 21, if Google continues to release major new versions yearly.
It’s the longest software support you’ll find on any Android phone, but Samsung wasn’t the first to offer seven years.
As you may recall, Google’s Pixel 8 and 8 Pro from 2023 provide seven years of OS and security upgrades. And, as the creator of Android, Google’s phones will always receive the latest version first.
Samsung’s version of Android also looks and works differently. The company’s newest One UI 6 skin is applied on Galaxy S24 phones, which includes several of the company’s own apps as well as modest adjustments to notifications and quick settings.
Unfortunately, the seven years of upgrades appear to be confined to Samsung flagships. There is no hint that cheaper Galaxy phones will receive more than the existing four years of OS upgrades and five years of security fixes. However, we may see it with the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Flip 6 foldables, all of which are set to be released later in 2024.
Of all, just because a phone is maintained for seven years does not guarantee you will use it for that long. The S24 hardware will most certainly be out of date by 2031, but it’s encouraging to see Android phone manufacturers commit to the lifetime of their phones, as people keeping devices for extended periods of time is healthier for the environment.
