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I find it amusing that Samsung couldn't even bring themselves to commit to the lazy alternative to providing OS updates for a reasonable amount of time. Simply

I find it amusing that Samsung couldn't even bring themselves to commit to the lazy alternative to providing OS updates for a reasonable amount of time. Simply unlocking the bootloader and letting the community maintain your product after the paltry 18 month support window seems like the absolute bare minimum. I'm sure Apple made this same calculation, and still decided that directly supporting devices for 5+ years was worth the investment. It might lead to users upgrading less frequently, but it builds brand loyalty. A user that doesn't feel screwed over is more likely to be a repeat customer.

dublinben 5y ago
How many users own an iPhone from launch for 5 years? Based on the robust resale market, it seems that users who want to always have the latest model fund that habit by reselling their used device into the secondhand market. If anything, this long support enables higher turnover for the latest models.
- hungryforcodes 5y ago
  I see an incredible number of iPhone 6's and 7's here in Asia. There is a huge thriving repair economy that keeps them going on the cheap. So much so, that I still use my iPhone 6 as my secondary daily driver and it works great. I've had almost every thing replaced in it (battery, screen, camera, etc), all for like $100 in total. Apple's calculation probably has more to do with its reputation. It understands that older phones are still in service and that doing the minimum to keep these at least functional is great for their brand. Hey, an iPhone is an iPhone...
- babypuncher 5y ago
  Whether you keep your phone for 5 years, or sell it after 2-3 years to someone who will use it for another 2-3, the end result is the same: less e-waste. A lot of other smartphones aren't even worth selling after 2-3 years of use.
duskwuff 5y ago
It doesn't hurt that Apple has some financial incentives for keeping older devices working, as it means those devices are still able to purchase apps from the App Store, sign up for new Apple subscription services, and use new Apple accessories. Since Samsung is only a hardware manufacturer, they don't see the benefits of up-to-date devices to the same degree that Apple does. That isn't to say that keeping old devices running is pure selfish self-interest on Apple's part, though. This isn't a zero-sum game; everyone wins when hardware gets a long support life cycle.
AshamedCaptain 5y ago
Samsung is outright evil regarding software updates and 100% using them for obsolescence. One example is when they announced Linux for DeX. They were beta testing it on their Galaxy Note 8s / 9s, but they made it abundantly clear that once the public beta testing was over, they would discontinue and kill the program in Galaxy Note 8/9 and then release it only alongside the new Galaxy Note 10. Eventually they killed the program altogether, likely due to poor demand. But to use the owners of the previous devices as betatesters, only to tell them they will have to uselessly buy the new device if they actually want to run the final version is just evil.

dublinben 5y ago

How many users own an iPhone from launch for 5 years? Based on the robust resale market, it seems that users who want to always have the latest model fund that habit by reselling their used device into the secondhand market. If anything, this long support enables higher turnover for the latest models.

hungryforcodes 5y ago
I see an incredible number of iPhone 6's and 7's here in Asia. There is a huge thriving repair economy that keeps them going on the cheap. So much so, that I still use my iPhone 6 as my secondary daily driver and it works great. I've had almost every thing replaced in it (battery, screen, camera, etc), all for like $100 in total. Apple's calculation probably has more to do with its reputation. It understands that older phones are still in service and that doing the minimum to keep these at least functional is great for their brand. Hey, an iPhone is an iPhone...
babypuncher 5y ago
Whether you keep your phone for 5 years, or sell it after 2-3 years to someone who will use it for another 2-3, the end result is the same: less e-waste. A lot of other smartphones aren't even worth selling after 2-3 years of use.

duskwuff 5y ago

It doesn't hurt that Apple has some financial incentives for keeping older devices working, as it means those devices are still able to purchase apps from the App Store, sign up for new Apple subscription services, and use new Apple accessories. Since Samsung is only a hardware manufacturer, they don't see the benefits of up-to-date devices to the same degree that Apple does. That isn't to say that keeping old devices running is pure selfish self-interest on Apple's part, though. This isn't a zero-sum game; everyone wins when hardware gets a long support life cycle.

AshamedCaptain 5y ago

Samsung is outright evil regarding software updates and 100% using them for obsolescence. One example is when they announced Linux for DeX. They were beta testing it on their Galaxy Note 8s / 9s, but they made it abundantly clear that once the public beta testing was over, they would discontinue and kill the program in Galaxy Note 8/9 and then release it only alongside the new Galaxy Note 10. Eventually they killed the program altogether, likely due to poor demand. But to use the owners of the previous devices as betatesters, only to tell them they will have to uselessly buy the new device if they actually want to run the final version is just evil.