Samsung is known as one of the leading Android smartphone brands when it comes to software updates, but does that tradition continue with the newly announced Galaxy S23 series? Lately, Android smartphone manufacturers have begun to realize the importance of providing not just regular software updates, but supporting their phones for a longer duration. For example, last December, OnePlus announced that starting in 2023, select smartphones would receive four OS upgrades and five years of security updates.
Samsung provides an identical software support policy for its flagship smartphones like the Galaxy S series, Galaxy Z Fold, and Galaxy Z Flip, as well as mid-range phones such as the Galaxy A53 5G. According to the press release for the Galaxy S23 series, all three smartphones in the series will receive “four generations of OS upgrades and five years of security updates” just like their predecessors. Based on the above information, the Galaxy S23 Ultra and its siblings will be upgraded to Android 17, which should be released in 2026.
Security Updates For Five Years
In addition, the phones will receive security updates up until 2028. So buyers interested in picking up a Galaxy S23 device can rest assured that their phones will continue to receive support for the next five years. Samsung is also among the fastest in the industry when it comes to releasing OS upgrades. For example, most of its smartphones eligible for an upgrade to Android 13 have already received the update. It also pushes out security patches in time, sometimes even beating Google's own Pixel smartphones. However, the frequency of these security updates usually reduces as the device nears its end of life.
Although all the models of the Galaxy S23 series ship with Android 13, the 2023 flagships come with a new version of Samsung's custom UI called One UI 5.1. This version brings a handful of new features such as a redesigned Gallery app, new battery and weather widgets, a smarter Bixby assistant, and new lock screen and home screen customizations. So far, the Galaxy S23 and its siblings are the only Samsung smartphones running this version of One UI, but it was revealed during the Galaxy Unpacked event that some of the new software features will be made available for other Galaxy smartphones in the future.
Samsung's software policy is among the best in the Android segment, and while other brands such as OnePlus have announced a matching policy, Samsung still has the upper hand. This is because it provides software updates not just to select flagships, but all its premium phones, flagship tablets, and even some mid-range devices. Thanks to its regular updates, Galaxy S23 series buyers can rest assured that their smartphones will have up-to-date software for years to come.
Source: Samsung