{"id":10210,"date":"2022-02-10T14:40:36","date_gmt":"2022-02-10T14:40:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/TheNextWeb=1380152"},"modified":"2022-02-10T14:40:36","modified_gmt":"2022-02-10T14:40:36","slug":"samsung-keeping-its-phones-up-to-date-for-4-years-is-a-goddamn-blessing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/?p=10210","title":{"rendered":"Samsung keeping its phones up-to-date for 4 years is a goddamn blessing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Samsung held its <a href=\"https:\/\/thenextweb.com\/news\/samsung-galaxy-s22-unpacked\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Unpacked event last night<\/a>, launching the new Galaxy S22 series and the Galaxy Tab S8 range of tablets.<\/p>\n<p>However, the most eye-catching announcement was that the company will provide four years of software updates to selected devices, as well as five years of security patches.<\/p>\n<p>This is a major announcement, as regular and long term software updates have been major complaints in the Android world. Let\u2019s break down what it means for companies and users.<\/p>\n<h2>How will Samsung\u2019s coverage extension impact you?<\/h2>\n<p>Samsung\u2019s new announcement is not just restricted to the new Galaxy S22 series of devices. It also includes the S21 range, the Z fold 3, the Z Flip 3, the S8 Tab series, and other upcoming gadgets. You can check out the full list <a href=\"https:\/\/news.samsung.com\/us\/samsung-galaxy-os-upgrade-one-ui-android-unpacked-2022\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"post-image post-mediaBleed aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-featured_img wp-image-1334207 js-lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/01\/Galaxy-S21-Series-Unpacked-2021-6-796x531.jpg\" alt width=\"796\" height=\"531\" sizes=\"(max-width: 796px) 100vw, 796px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/01\/Galaxy-S21-Series-Unpacked-2021-6-796x531.jpg 796w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/01\/Galaxy-S21-Series-Unpacked-2021-6-280x187.jpg 280w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/01\/Galaxy-S21-Series-Unpacked-2021-6-405x270.jpg 405w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/01\/Galaxy-S21-Series-Unpacked-2021-6-203x135.jpg 203w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/01\/Galaxy-S21-Series-Unpacked-2021-6-1592x1061.jpg 1592w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/01\/Galaxy-S21-Series-Unpacked-2021-6.jpg 1640w\"><figcaption><a href=\"https:\/\/thenextweb.com\/news\/samsung-four-year-software-update-android-analysis#\" data-url=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Feditorial.thenextweb.com%2Fplugged%2F2022%2F02%2F10%2Fsamsung-four-year-software-update-android-analysis%2F&amp;via=thenextweb&amp;related=thenextweb&amp;text=Check out this picture on: The S21 series will get five years of security support from Samsung.\" data-title=\"Share The S21 series will get five years of security support from Samsung. on Twitter\" data-width=\"685\" data-height=\"500\" class=\"post-image-share popitup\" title=\"Share The S21 series will get five years of security support from Samsung. on Twitter\"><i class=\"icon icon--inline icon--twitter--dark\"><\/i><\/a>The S21 series will get five years of security support from Samsung.<\/figcaption><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-featured_img wp-image-1334207\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/01\/Galaxy-S21-Series-Unpacked-2021-6-796x531.jpg\" alt width=\"796\" height=\"531\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/01\/Galaxy-S21-Series-Unpacked-2021-6-796x531.jpg 796w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/01\/Galaxy-S21-Series-Unpacked-2021-6-280x187.jpg 280w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/01\/Galaxy-S21-Series-Unpacked-2021-6-405x270.jpg 405w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/01\/Galaxy-S21-Series-Unpacked-2021-6-203x135.jpg 203w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/01\/Galaxy-S21-Series-Unpacked-2021-6-1592x1061.jpg 1592w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/01\/Galaxy-S21-Series-Unpacked-2021-6.jpg 1640w\"><\/noscript><\/figure>\n<p>This in an increase from last year, when Samsung promised four years of support for its phones (three years of updates, and four years of security patches), as opposed to the five on offer now.<\/p>\n<p>At this time, it also stated its A and M series devices were eligible for this increased support period.&nbsp;While it hasn\u2019t specified anything about those handsets in yesterday\u2019s announcement, we can hope that its pocket-friendly phones will get the same treatment soon.<\/p>\n<h2>How does it compare to other phone makers?<\/h2>\n<p>Until recently, Google was a prime example of a company offering fast updates and long term support. When it released the Pixel 6, Google promised&nbsp;three major software updates, and five years of security patches.<\/p>\n<p>Samsung\u2019s new initiative puts it ahead of Google.<\/p>\n<p>Last year \u2014 after looking at Samsung\u2019s<a href=\"https:\/\/www.gsmarena.com\/samsung_promises_at_least_four_years_of_security_updates_for_galaxies_from_2019_on-news-47868.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"> extended support plan<\/a> \u2014 Xiaomi, OnePlus, Oppo, and Vivo also promised four years of support for a set of devices. The Korean company\u2019s new announcement might pressurize them into following suit in 2022.<\/p>\n<h2>But what about iPhones?<\/h2>\n<p>Apple is still the top dog of long-term phone support. The company\u2019s latest operating system, iOS 15, is available for the iPhone 6s \u2014 a device launched in 2015. This means it\u2019s running the latest software six years after launch.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"post-image post-mediaBleed aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-1010251 size-featured_img js-lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2016\/11\/iphone6s-796x398.jpg\" alt=\"iphone 6s, iphone 6, battery, apple\" width=\"796\" height=\"398\" sizes=\"(max-width: 796px) 100vw, 796px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2016\/11\/iphone6s-796x398.jpg 796w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2016\/11\/iphone6s-280x140.jpg 280w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2016\/11\/iphone6s-540x270.jpg 540w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2016\/11\/iphone6s-270x135.jpg 270w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2016\/11\/iphone6s-1592x796.jpg 1592w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2016\/11\/iphone6s.jpg 1640w\"><figcaption><a href=\"https:\/\/thenextweb.com\/news\/samsung-four-year-software-update-android-analysis#\" data-url=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Feditorial.thenextweb.com%2Fplugged%2F2022%2F02%2F10%2Fsamsung-four-year-software-update-android-analysis%2F&amp;via=thenextweb&amp;related=thenextweb&amp;text=Check out this picture on: The iPhone 6s, which was released in 2015, is running iOS 15. Credit: Apple\" data-title=\"Share The iPhone 6s, which was released in 2015, is running iOS 15. Credit: Apple on Twitter\" data-width=\"685\" data-height=\"500\" class=\"post-image-share popitup\" title=\"Share The iPhone 6s, which was released in 2015, is running iOS 15. Credit: Apple on Twitter\"><i class=\"icon icon--inline icon--twitter--dark\"><\/i><\/a>The iPhone 6s, which was released in 2015, is running iOS 15. Credit: Apple<\/figcaption><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-1010251 size-featured_img\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2016\/11\/iphone6s-796x398.jpg\" alt=\"iphone 6s, iphone 6, battery, apple\" width=\"796\" height=\"398\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2016\/11\/iphone6s-796x398.jpg 796w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2016\/11\/iphone6s-280x140.jpg 280w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2016\/11\/iphone6s-540x270.jpg 540w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2016\/11\/iphone6s-270x135.jpg 270w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2016\/11\/iphone6s-1592x796.jpg 1592w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2016\/11\/iphone6s.jpg 1640w\"><\/noscript><\/figure>\n<p>However, there\u2019s some feature fragmentation between models.<\/p>\n<p>For instance, <a href=\"https:\/\/thenextweb.com\/news\/why-face-id-with-mask-iphone-12-analysis\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">its upcoming Face ID feature<\/a> that will unlock your device while wearing a mask only works with the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 range. While the newly launched <a href=\"https:\/\/thenextweb.com\/news\/apple-tap-to-pay-feature-smart-analysis\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">tap-to-pay feature<\/a> for merchants will work with the iPhone XS and later.<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s likely a hardware limitation at play for some of these features, but Apple hasn\u2019t specified details of it.<\/p>\n<h2><span>Why are Android updates so hard to get right?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Last year, Samsung was one of the first companies to roll out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/android-12-update-3042613\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">a stable Android 12 release<\/a> for the Galaxy S21 series.<\/p>\n<p>As it was one of the biggest version updates in Android <span>history \u2014 considering changes in APIs, interfaces, and functionality \u2014<\/span>&nbsp;this led to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theverge.com\/22881882\/android-12-google-pixel-6-pro-bugs-oneplus-oxygenos-12-samsung-one-ui-4-update\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">buggy versions being released, before getting rolled back across manufacturers<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"post-image post-mediaBleed aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-featured_img wp-image-1363658 js-lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/08\/02_01_B2_Product_03_galaxyzflip3_5g_cream_L-796x594.jpg\" alt=\"Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 foldable\" width=\"796\" height=\"594\" sizes=\"(max-width: 796px) 100vw, 796px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/08\/02_01_B2_Product_03_galaxyzflip3_5g_cream_L-796x594.jpg 796w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/08\/02_01_B2_Product_03_galaxyzflip3_5g_cream_L-280x210.jpg 280w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/08\/02_01_B2_Product_03_galaxyzflip3_5g_cream_L-362x270.jpg 362w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/08\/02_01_B2_Product_03_galaxyzflip3_5g_cream_L-181x135.jpg 181w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/08\/02_01_B2_Product_03_galaxyzflip3_5g_cream_L-1592x1188.jpg 1592w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/08\/02_01_B2_Product_03_galaxyzflip3_5g_cream_L-368x276.jpg 368w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/08\/02_01_B2_Product_03_galaxyzflip3_5g_cream_L.jpg 1640w\"><figcaption><a href=\"https:\/\/thenextweb.com\/news\/samsung-four-year-software-update-android-analysis#\" data-url=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Feditorial.thenextweb.com%2Fplugged%2F2022%2F02%2F10%2Fsamsung-four-year-software-update-android-analysis%2F&amp;via=thenextweb&amp;related=thenextweb&amp;text=Check out this picture on: Samsung had to pull back an update for Z Flip 3 due to screen issues.\" data-title=\"Share Samsung had to pull back an update for Z Flip 3 due to screen issues. on Twitter\" data-width=\"685\" data-height=\"500\" class=\"post-image-share popitup\" title=\"Share Samsung had to pull back an update for Z Flip 3 due to screen issues. on Twitter\"><i class=\"icon icon--inline icon--twitter--dark\"><\/i><\/a>Samsung had to pull back an update for Z Flip 3 due to screen issues.<\/figcaption><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-featured_img wp-image-1363658\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/08\/02_01_B2_Product_03_galaxyzflip3_5g_cream_L-796x594.jpg\" alt=\"Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 foldable\" width=\"796\" height=\"594\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/08\/02_01_B2_Product_03_galaxyzflip3_5g_cream_L-796x594.jpg 796w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/08\/02_01_B2_Product_03_galaxyzflip3_5g_cream_L-280x210.jpg 280w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/08\/02_01_B2_Product_03_galaxyzflip3_5g_cream_L-362x270.jpg 362w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/08\/02_01_B2_Product_03_galaxyzflip3_5g_cream_L-181x135.jpg 181w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/08\/02_01_B2_Product_03_galaxyzflip3_5g_cream_L-1592x1188.jpg 1592w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/08\/02_01_B2_Product_03_galaxyzflip3_5g_cream_L-368x276.jpg 368w, https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2021\/08\/02_01_B2_Product_03_galaxyzflip3_5g_cream_L.jpg 1640w\"><\/noscript><\/figure>\n<p>Over the years, we\u2019ve seen many instances where <a href=\"https:\/\/phandroid.com\/2021\/03\/11\/oneplus-forced-to-pull-stable-android-11-update-for-the-oneplus-nord\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">device makers<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/phandroid.com\/2021\/03\/11\/oneplus-forced-to-pull-stable-android-11-update-for-the-oneplus-nord\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">have done a similar thing<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>While this is partly due to companies being under pressure and not testing their builds thoroughly, it also has to do with the complexity of how Android updates are structured.<\/p>\n<p>In <a href=\"https:\/\/medium.com\/@Za_Raczke\/how-android-updates-work-a-peek-behind-the-curtains-from-an-insider-1d8e1a48ec0b\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">a detailed blog post<\/a>, developer Kuba Wojciechowski broke down that, since Android 8, Google introduced vendor images, a layer that manufacturers can work on to provide more cosmetic updates, while system updates can be rolled out separately.<\/p>\n<p>However, given the involvement of varied chip manufacturers, phone makers, and carriers, there are different forks of Android for each given version. This increases the complexity in terms of bug fixes and rollout schedules.<\/p>\n<p>This means a phone in the US could be on a different version of Android, compared to the same handset in Europe and India. That\u2019s not usually the case with iPhones, as Apple rolls out software updates globally.<\/p>\n<p>For a manufacturer to push an update on Android, it has to go through multiple tests, and pass Google\u2019s certification. This can take a long time, delaying the final release.<\/p>\n<p>There are finer technical problems with how the whole process works, and I\u2019d recommend you <a href=\"https:\/\/medium.com\/@Za_Raczke\/how-android-updates-work-a-peek-behind-the-curtains-from-an-insider-1d8e1a48ec0b\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">read the post<\/a> to find out more.<\/p>\n<h2>Looking ahead<\/h2>\n<p>Given all these intricacies in the Android software architecture, I don\u2019t expect Samsung will ace its updates every time. However, it has certainly laid down the gauntlet for other manufacturers, including Google, to up their software game.<\/p>\n<p>For folks like you and me, it means our phones could last longer \u2014 and improve the quality of the refurbished market, as people could buy older devices without the same worry of them being <span>obsolete. And that can only be a good thing for everyone.<\/span><\/p>\n<p> <a href=\"https:\/\/thenextweb.com\/news\/samsung-four-year-software-update-android-analysis\">Source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Samsung held its Unpacked event last night, launching the new Galaxy S22 series and the Galaxy Tab S8 range of tablets. However, the most eye-catching announcement was that the company will provide&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10211,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10210"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10210"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10210\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/10211"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10210"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=10210"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.londonchiropracter.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=10210"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}