Have you ever thin how many years your smartphone will provide updates? So nowadays, software updates have become a big factor while buying a smartphone. Compared to earlier, the situation of software updates in Android phones has improved a lot. Today, many brands are working to provide updates and security patches to their flagship and budget phones for a long time. So let’s know about the top 4 brands that are providing the best software support in 2025.
The Google Pixel series is at the forefront of software updates in the Android world. Google promises up to 7 years of Android OS updates, security patches, and feature drops with its Pixel 8 series. This support is even ahead of Apple.
Let us tell you that Google has also given additional 2 years of updates to its older models like Pixel 6 and Pixel 7. This shows that Google takes care of not only new but also old users. If you want long-term software support, then Pixel phones can be the best option for you.
Apple
Apple has long been the benchmark in terms of software updates. While Android phones struggled with fragmented support, Apple was rolling out at least 3 major OS updates to its devices. From the time of the iPhone 6, 5 years of updates became Apple’s standard.
However, Apple has never explicitly guaranteed an update timeline. For its part, the iPhone 6S was launched with iOS 9 and continued to receive updates until iOS 15. This was far beyond expectations.
In light of this, Apple confirmed for the first time that the iPhone 15 Pro will get at least 5 years of updates. However, Apple often exceeds this commitment, especially when hardware limitations do not hinder performance.
Samsung
Samsung also promises 7 years of OS updates and security patches for flagship devices, like Google. The Galaxy S24 series and newer devices, such as the Flip, Fold, and Galaxy Tab S10 models, are taking advantage of this long-term support.
Some of Samsung’s budget models, such as the Galaxy A-series, also get 6 years of updates. This is better than the flagship phones of many other brands. Samsung is also an expert in rolling out updates on time, be it a flagship or a budget phone.
Fairphone
Fairphone has built its reputation on sustainability and long-term software support. The Fairphone 2, launched in 2015, has received updates for over 7 years.
The new Fairphone 5 comes with 5 years of OS updates and 8 years of security patches. The company claims that if all goes well, they will try to extend the security patches to 10 years. However, Fairphone’s update schedule is not as predictable as other brands.