Google just surrendered its update authority to Samsung

As thrilling as the brand new Galaxy S22 {hardware} is, it’s Samsung’s new five-year replace pledge that has caught my eye. With a promise of 4 years price of OS updates and 5 years of safety patches, Samsung’s assure is the very best within the Android enterprise and is closing in on Apple’s coveted degree of long-term assist. Which means the Galaxy S22 collection will see assist proper out till Android 16 someday within the 2025/2026 window. Discuss a lifetime away.

Much more astounding is that Samsung is backdating its pledge to incorporate older gadgets as effectively. So not solely does this apply to the model new Samsung Galaxy S22 collection, however your complete Galaxy S21 vary, the Galaxy S21 FE, foldable Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3, in addition to its new Galaxy Tab S8 pill vary. Not forgetting that the corporate already guarantees a fairly first rate three years of OS updates for a few of its inexpensive smartphones as effectively. Merely put, Samsung is now effectively and really out in entrance of the pack relating to each the size and breadth of its smartphone replace coverage. So main kudos right here.

You’ll have seen that Samsung’s newest coverage is even higher than Google’s three OS and 5 years of safety pledge that got here with the Pixel 6 collection. Large G’s Android replace lead lasted all of some months. Even on the time, we weren’t satisfied that Google had executed sufficient to guide from the entrance, and it hasn’t taken lengthy for Samsung to point out that Google, and everybody else, can do higher relating to long-term assist.

Learn extra: Google’s Pixel 6 replace promise shouldn’t be ok

Shoppers are uninterested in excuses

Nonetheless, each Google and Samsung are doing significantly better than the business at giant. Different main manufacturers like OnePlus, Oppo, Vivo, and Xiaomi solely supply three years of OS updates to a handful of their costliest smartphones. For those who’re operating a mid-tier telephone, you’ll be fortunate to see two OS upgrades, whereas Google and Samsung supply for much longer assist for his or her cheap fashions. Though it’s nice that these two are duking it out for the highest spot (somebody has to), tens of millions of different Android customers are nonetheless lacking out on long-term assist.

What’s notably irritating in regards to the broader Android replace state of affairs is that we’ve heard a lot of noise from varied events in regards to the difficulties and enhancements made in bringing updates to Android gadgets. Google and its companions put lots of work into initiatives like 2017’s Undertaking Treble, 2019’s Undertaking Mainline, and dealing with chipset distributors like Qualcomm to assist 4 Android OS variations because the finish of 2020. But it’s taken till 2022 for Samsung to maximise the replace potential now accessible.

As such, there’s no cheap excuse for not matching Samsung’s degree of long-term assist. It’s definitely not chipset assist or avenues for delivering updates; these bottlenecks have been resolved. Working example, Google jumped ship to its personal Tensor chipset, however the transfer didn’t consequence within the anticipated degree of longer-term assist. The Pixel 6 will obtain two extra years of safety updates in comparison with its predecessor. A welcome enchancment however hardly the game-changer many had been anticipating.

As essential as safety updates are, it’s OS and have updates that hold gadgets feeling recent and trendy over their lifespan. That is notably essential in an age the place technological innovation has slowed, costs are excessive, and customers count on to maintain their smartphones for a few years.

See additionally: The yearly smartphone mannequin is out of date, software-first is the longer term

What’s stopping you, Google?

With that in thoughts, there’s nothing stopping manufacturers from retroactively enhancing their replace promise for 2021 smartphones. If Samsung can deliver longer updates to final 12 months’s smartphones and tablets, all whereas counting on third-party silicon, what’s stopping Google and the business at giant from doing the identical?

Google has executed this prior to now, bringing Android 10 to the OG Pixel when it may have left customers on Android 9 Pie. It’s additionally price noting that the Pixel 6 assist web page lists OS upgrades “till at the very least” October 2024, so the telephone may very well be supported past that. Nonetheless, a dedication prematurely is significantly better than a possible shock when the telephone is supposedly reaching its finish of life.

So the ball’s in your court docket, Google. Are you able to match the Galaxy replace pledge and convey 4 OS updates to the Pixel 6? Or are you cheerful to let Samsung present the Android ecosystem tips on how to assist their merchandise correctly?