Samsung sets the bar of software updates for Huawei and others

Samsung recently released its new Galaxy S series flagship smartphones and set a bar of software updates for Huawei and other Chinese phone makers.

With the increasing popularity of high-end specifications, customers are also preferring after-sales services. Other than repairs and warranty, Software updates have gradually become a major selling point of flagship devices.

This race is now hijacked by Samsung as it’s offering 7 generations of Android upgrades and 7 years of security updates with new S24 series smartphones. Over the past 3-4 years, Samsung has raised the software game more than any other phone maker except Google Pixel.

Samsung’s influence in the Android ecosystem is taking this game even further with exclusive features launching firsthand with Galaxy devices. “Features” that are yet to come in Pixel brand.

In 2022, Samsung announced four generations of Android and five years of security updates with the Galaxy S22 and S21 series. In the following year, Samsung carried the same strategy with the S23 series. Therefore the new jump from 4 to 7-generation upgrades cannot go unchecked.

This number of updates will increase the value of this premium flagship in the long run and keep on providing new features to maintain its functionalities.

Huawei and others:

Some issues with Chinese phone makers including Huawei are neglecting the software services for a long time. For example, Huawei previously released two major devices – Mate 50 Pro and P60 Pro both of these start at 1199 euros (around $1,300). This price is somewhat near the price tag of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.

The devices were unveiled with EMUI 13, which is based on open-source Android. Even after a year of launch, the phones are still loaded with the same software and there’s no information of what will happen next in their software section.

Similarly, Oppo, Vivo, Xiaomi, and others follow the same policies of keeping software upgrades at the lowest. These phones come with on-sheet-top specifications but lack software experience. Most of these don’t even reveal the number of software updates that their phone would get in the long term.

Aftersale software updates are a core part of customer services and it appears that Samsung has set the bar for Huawei and others to learn and provide such support for smartphone buyers.