Samsung was the first Android manufacturer to promise four years of Android OS updates for their smartphones and tablets. It was a move that is now inspiring other manufacturers as well. OnePlus announcing a few weeks ago that some of its upcoming devices will receive four Android operating system updates and security patches over five years. And now, Oppo, the parent company of OnePlus, is making the same commitment. Or is that it?
Oppo has announced that its future flagships will get four major operating system updates and five years of security updates. At first glance, it sounds pretty much the same as Samsung, but it’s actually not. While Samsung promises four years of Android OS updates, Oppo promises four Color OS Updates.
Color OS is Oppo’s equivalent to Samsung’s One UI overlay and receives updates regardless of the underlying Android version. With its new update policy, Oppo’s flagship phones released in the future will get four Color OS version updates, and that’s where the rub lies.
Oppo may not be promising what people think
Essentially, Oppo does not commit to updating the version of Android. It only says that it will provide four updates to its custom software.
Now, Oppo’s existing policy guarantees three Android version updates, so the new policy could mean that its devices will get at least three Android version updates on top of new Color OS versions. But whatever the case, it seems Samsung’s leadership in upgrades will remain unmatched.
It’s not just the fact that Oppo doesn’t promise four Android OS updates here. It’s also the fact that Oppo, and even OnePlus, won’t apply their new policy to any devices it’s already selling. Samsung, on the other hand, said it would extend support for four Android OS updates to some existing Galaxy devices that launched in 2021. Furthermore, Samsung’s policy applies to both mid-range and flagship devices.
Samsung’s upgrade policy remains unbeaten
In short, Galaxy phone and tablet owners and Samsung fans can be sure they are getting the best after-sales software support. While manufacturers like OnePlus and Oppo are moving in the right direction by taking inspiration from Samsung, they aren’t mimicking the Korean giant as well as their customers would hope, and Galaxy devices are still the best option for those who care about upgrades.
