3 ms·

Can I pay to get extra years of software updates on Android yet? The 2-year support thing is awful.

by toastal 4y ago

xeromal 4y ago
That's more of a manufacturer choice. The pixel and top-tier samsung lines both get 6 years of security updates
- dsr_ 4y ago
  So, in a sense, yes: pay by buying the right phone at the beginning, but it's not available otherwise.
  - blagie 4y ago
    The problem is it's not clearly advertised. Apple has had the longest support life historically, but I most recently bought an Android, since Apple does not commit to any particular timeline forward-looking. Most of the other vendors also don't clearly indicate how long a new device will be supported for.
- mindslight 4y ago
  Six years of updates is also too short, in my book. PCs regularly last for over a decade.
- philistine 4y ago
  Security updates is carrying a lot of weight here. People are probably expecting feature updates, which is still not a guarantee.
  - xeromal 4y ago
    I believe feature updates are for 3 years or 2 generations.
  - toastal 4y ago
    It's kinda bad since the phones suiting my needs are still in the two-year category.
- Zak 4y ago
  This is weird compared to desktop operating systems though. Windows 11 compatibility restrictions aside, most PCs don't require that their OS be customized for their specific hardware. At most, they need a few drivers sourced separately to be fully functional. In a sane world, I could just install AOSP on any phone without a customization step, and download drivers from the manufacturer's website if it has any weird hardware.
Aissen 4y ago
It might soon become 5 years by law, at least in the EU. https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/12797-Designing-mobile-phones-and-tablets-to-be-sustainable-ecodesign_en https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-sa...
asddubs 4y ago
that's a different situation though, because that's hardware which is coupled to software. Often exclusively, too (meaning you could install alternate operating systems, even if there were any).
rchaud 4y ago
Security updates are ultimately what matters and those are usually a lot longer than Android firmware updates. My 2016 Galaxy S7 got a security update in 2021. Most of Android's own software updates are little more than window dressing these days.

Can I pay to get extra years of software updates on Android yet? The 2-year support thing is awful.

xeromal 4y ago

That's more of a manufacturer choice. The pixel and top-tier samsung lines both get 6 years of security updates

dsr_ 4y ago
So, in a sense, yes: pay by buying the right phone at the beginning, but it's not available otherwise.
- blagie 4y ago
  The problem is it's not clearly advertised. Apple has had the longest support life historically, but I most recently bought an Android, since Apple does not commit to any particular timeline forward-looking. Most of the other vendors also don't clearly indicate how long a new device will be supported for.
mindslight 4y ago
Six years of updates is also too short, in my book. PCs regularly last for over a decade.
philistine 4y ago
Security updates is carrying a lot of weight here. People are probably expecting feature updates, which is still not a guarantee.
- xeromal 4y ago
  I believe feature updates are for 3 years or 2 generations.
- toastal 4y ago
  It's kinda bad since the phones suiting my needs are still in the two-year category.
Zak 4y ago
This is weird compared to desktop operating systems though. Windows 11 compatibility restrictions aside, most PCs don't require that their OS be customized for their specific hardware. At most, they need a few drivers sourced separately to be fully functional. In a sane world, I could just install AOSP on any phone without a customization step, and download drivers from the manufacturer's website if it has any weird hardware.

Aissen 4y ago

It might soon become 5 years by law, at least in the EU. https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/12797-Designing-mobile-phones-and-tablets-to-be-sustainable-ecodesign_en https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-sa...

asddubs 4y ago

that's a different situation though, because that's hardware which is coupled to software. Often exclusively, too (meaning you could install alternate operating systems, even if there were any).

rchaud 4y ago

Security updates are ultimately what matters and those are usually a lot longer than Android firmware updates. My 2016 Galaxy S7 got a security update in 2021. Most of Android's own software updates are little more than window dressing these days.