Smartphone brands are taking significant steps to increase their market share, focusing on the benefit of users. Consumers, on the other hand, make their choices considering various factors, and one of these factors is undoubtedly software support.
Software support is quite important for a smartphone. Over time, the device may start to become outdated and vulnerable to evolving malicious software with advancing technology. When it comes to software support in the Android camp, Samsung has been leading the way, but it seems this is changing.
Google promises 7 years of updates for Pixel 8 series!
Google unveiled its new products at the Made by Google event held today in the US. These products include the Pixel Watch 2 smartwatch, the Pixel 8 smartphone series, and the long-awaited new operating system, Android 14.
While the technical specifications of the new smartphones stood out at this event, the most remarkable aspect was the duration of the update support offered for these models. Previously, Google provided 3 years of software support, but for the Pixel 8 series, they have promised 7 years of updates. This is a first in the Android smartphone market.
Xiaomi has stopped providing software support for 6 older models, including the Mi 10 series and Redmi Note 10 5G.
Updates for 7 years mean that smartphones can be upgraded to Android 21. Of course, this is valid if a major Android version is released every year, which is generally the case. Therefore, updates are guaranteed up to Android 21.
Previously, Apple was the brand that offered the longest update support in the smartphone market, with 6 or 7 years. On the Android side, Samsung held the lead with 4 years of updates. However, as of today, Google has taken the lead in the Android market.
It is expected that major brands like Samsung and Xiaomi will take steps to extend their update support in response to Google’s move. This could potentially change consumer preferences and significantly affect market share.
Samsung is set to unveil the Galaxy S24 series next year. The brand could compete with Google by promising 7 years or more of update support for this series. However, this would be a significant step for the South Korean tech giant, as it has a large number of Galaxy smartphones, which would mean even models introduced 4 years ago could receive updates.
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