Samsung has announced that some of its devices will now get five years of security updates.
Security updates are an important issue when it comes to phones. With high-end devices getting more expensive (although we have seen a shift when it comes to bang for buck in mid-range phones) it has always seemed quite crap when only a few years of security updates are offered.
Fortunately we have seen some improvements in this area. Earlier this month Apple announced that the upcoming iOS 14 will support the same devices as iOS 13. This means that some phones dating back to 2015 will continue to receive support and updates.
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Android’s support shelf life is notoriously shorter, generally hovering around the three year mark. But it looks like some Samsung devices will have an extended life.
At MWC 2021 Samsung announced that some of its Galaxy Enterprise devices will be given Android support for five years. Previously it was four, but this is now not much different to Samsung’s consumer-grade offering.
According to 9To5Google, here’s what the company had to say:
Keep your business protected from mobile security threats. With Galaxy Enterprise Edition, you get 5 years of firmware updates either monthly or quartely, so you can be sure all of your mobile devices are up to date with the latest Android and Samsung security and maintenance patches. This helps protect your fleet of Samsung devices against malware, phishing or any software malfunction that might pose a threat to your business.
Samsung Enterprise Devices are basically designed for businesses. They’re still the same devices that regular consumers can buy, but are generally sold as part of a package. They will also come with extras like Knox Suite (which bundles bundles a bunch of Enterprise software solutions together, like device monitoring) and extended security updates.
It’s worth noting that only a few of its devices will get the extra year of security updates. It’s limited to the S20, Note 20, Xcover 5 and Tab Active 3 for now. However, the new policy will cover future device releases.