With the whole smartphone game constantly evolving, keeping them up-to-date is more crucial now than ever before. Updates offer new features and other developments, but they also shore up your device against vulnerabilities and bugs. However, not all smartphone manufacturers release updates in a regular or timely manner, which can have a marked effect on the quality of user experience. If you’ve ever wondered which phone brand gives the best updates, you’re surely in good company. In this article, we shall delve into the details to determine which brands deliver the best software updates in terms of frequency of updates, length of full support, and quality of these updates in general. By the end, you will get to know which phone brands are best at pushing the updates and those that really support your phone.
Software updates stand out as extremely necessary.
It is vital before weighing the names of brands with the best updates that we try to understand why updates are necessary. Software updates are necessary for the following:
Security Fixes: Evolving threats always leave manufacturers to push updates on a routine basis. Failure to apply timely security patches could expose your phone to risks such as malware, phishing, and other forms of cyberattacks.
Bug Fixes and Performance Improvements: Bugs can affect anything from battery life to app crashes. Updates tend to come bundled with such fixes, alongside performance optimizations to make them run smoothly.
New Features: New updates introduce new features and improvements. These range from minor tweaks to major overhauls on the OS, for instance, concise addition of new AI-based tools, enhancing camera functions, as well as broaden customization options.
System Stability: Older software versions become unstable and less compatible with newer apps. Updates guarantee that your phone will run newer applications and services seamlessly.
Device Longevity: Phones that receive regular updates usually last longer. By keeping software current, you can guarantee your phone continues running well in the long run.
With that said, let’s take a glance at the phone brands that offer the best updates, the frequency of such updates, and what kind of support you can expect from them.
Apple: The Second Long-Term Support
Frequency and Duration of Updates:
Apple is often considered one of the best in terms of software updates, and rightfully so. Apple updates iPhones straight from the developers; thus, there will be no delays due to any form of customizations likely to affect the update period. An annual major iOS update is introduced by Apple, with the former being minor updates meant to address bug fixes, improvements, and security patches during the year.
Duration of Support:
One of the prime selling points of Apple’ update policy is the period they support their devices. For the greater part, Apple offers 5-6 years of software updates for the greater part of iPhones out there. For example, the iPhone 6s launched in 2015 and was still receiving updates through to iOS 15 in 2021. The support time is far greater than the majority of Android devices, which get software updates for most 2-3 years.
This grand support does mean that even older iPhones will receive recent security patches and new features, thereby allowing them to remain fresh for more extended periods.
Quality of Updates:
You know very well that Apple is really consistent in their updates. When an iOS update is released, it is pushed to every eligible iPhone at the same time so that every user has the same experience. Usually, these updates are clean and issue-free, whereby Apple puts a lot of effort into ensuring that adding a new feature does not adversely affect the performance of any device. The company has a long history of delivering reliable updates that make iOS one of the more stable mobile operating systems.
Conclusion:
One of Apple’s strongholds is updates, where they assure long-term software support, security patches, and clean, smooth updates on an iPhone that gives great performance even after years of being used.
Google: A Close Second with Android Updates
Update Frequency and Duration:
With its Pixel devices, Google provides a rather similar update approach. Since it is the maker of Android, Google’s Pixel phones are among the very first to receive major Android updates. Annually, in late summer or early fall, Android typically releases either a security patch or incremental update throughout the year. Google pushes out updates as widely throughout the year.
Duration of Support:
Google has recently extended its support for the Pixel devices. With the release of the Pixel 6 series, Google promised to deliver 3 years of major updates and 5 years of security updates. In the previous generations, Pixel 5 received only 3 years of both major and security updates. Compared to Apple, the duration is short-lived. It still serves as an excellent standard for other Android updates.
Quality of Updates:
Updates are always promptly delivered for Pixel devices that have a pure version of Android. It does not have too many unique changes and customizations, which means updates are great since they are held up by many later iterations. Updates for Pixel devices are usually almost instantaneous, while Google rolls them out to all eligible devices. One feature of Pixel phones that works pretty well for them, especially with security flaws, is quick fixes. That’s one of the huge determining factors of the quality of updates.
Conclusion:
Google’s Pixel series has one of the best Android updates one could ask for, with its timely rollout of software updates, steady security updates, and decent long-term updates, keeping its devices competitive, safe, and secure for years.
Samsung- A Strong Player With a Long-lasting Commitment to Updates
Frequency and Period:
In recent years, Samsung has made significant progress with its update policy. Traditionally, the Android updates were behind in delivery compared to Google, but they have committed to better offering software support across its devices.
For its Galaxy S and Galaxy Z series, Samsung has offered 4 years of major Android updates and 5 years of security patches, the longest support period of any manufacturer for any flagship Android. That support now also extends to the Galaxy A series beginning in 2021, thereby situating Samsung close to being the Android brand to beat for best updates.
Support Duration:
The offering of 4 years of software support (for both Android and One UI) for Samsung’s flagship devices shows great improvement. For instance, the Galaxy S21 will receive Android updates until past 2025, and the company says it will provide security updates for as long as 5 years, ensuring even older devices remain protected.
Update Quality:
Samsung’s updates are generally considered well-optimized, but sometimes that is not the fastest. Samsung has its version of Android called One UI; hence usually they also follow additional features and tweaks, which means the update may take longer to arrive. However, Samsung improves the speed of its updates along with delivering security patches on time. The changes to One UI generally enhance the Android experience also making the updates feel more refined.
Conclusion:
Samsung has made enormous strides in providing reasonable updates, especially to its high-end devices. The long-lasting support with a good commitment to providing Android updates and security patches will surely place Samsung among the top competitors in the smartphone industry when it comes to software updates.
OnePlus: Stellar Reviews but Not Without Shortcomings
Update Frequency and Length:
OnePlus developed a remarkable reputation for fast software updates in common parlance, particularly in its early years. OnePlus often manages to release a major Android update just a few months behind Google’s orders to make sure its users are enjoying every possible novelty brought by Android.
However, its support duration is not as long as Apple’s or Google’s. OnePlus provides on the whole two years of major Android updates and three years of security updates for its flagship models: OnePlus 9 Pro and OnePlus 10 series.
Length of Support:
OnePlus provides all of its devices with two years of major software updates and three years of security updates. This is rather respectably compared to many other Android manufacturers but certainly does not stretch as far as the support timelines of Apple or Google.
Quality of Updates:
While most updates provided by OnePlus are fast and smooth, its choice of a heavily customized version of Android (OxygenOS) sometimes means delays and compatibility compromises. The company has also drawn some degree of scorn for adopting a more “stock” ColorOS experience after being folded into Oppo, which could potentially impact users’ perception of future updates. Still, OnePlus tends to deliver dependable updates, one that offers new features and optimizations, making it a strong choice for anyone looking for timely software rollouts.
Conclusion:
For users who place high importance on timely updates, OnePlus is a fine pick, though its supported period is still shorter than some of its competitors. To reiterate, it is a good pick for anyone considering a phone with fast updates and decent overall support for a number of years.
Xiaomi: Good Update Practices; Less Frequent
Frequency of Update:
Xiaomi sells its mobiles into two families, namely flagship Mi and Mi Mix series, and also lower pricing devices like the Redmi and Poco series. The updates of flagship models are delivered relatively quickly, while the updates for its low-end devices are more irregular, and may stop sooner.
Major Android updates are generally afforded 2-3 years, alongside 3 years of security patches for Xiaomi’s Mi and Mi Mix series phones. There are constant improvements in Xiaomi’s updating policies; however, Redmi and Poco series get less. Budget devices may receive only one of these major updates through their lifetime.
Duration of Support:
Flagship devices receive 2-3 years of major Android updates. However, lower-end models still generally get only 1-2 major updates. While Xiaomi security patches do exist, their release on different devices can often be inconsistent.
Quality of Updates:
Though Xiaomi does fairly well at updating its devices, quality may be inconsistent, especially with its budget-oriented models. The company’s custom Android skin, MIUI, sometimes introduces issues or bugs after major updates. However, Xiaomi usually works to patch these bugs in subsequent releases.
Conclusion:
The update policies of Xiaomi for its flagship devices are good but quite unreliable for their budget devices. If you are looking for a Xiaom device, the recommendation is to go for the premium Mi and Mi Mix series with the intent that serving software support would be a priority.
Other Brands Worth Mentioning
Oppo:
Oppo does pretty good updates, but its commitment for long-term support is not as good as in the various competitors such as Apple or Google. For its premium phones, Oppo promises 2 to 3 years of Android updates and three years of security update assurance. Oppo is getting better, mainly with its OxygenOS software, but it is still behind in general when it comes to software longevity.
Motorola:
Motorola offers about 2 years of major updates for its premium options such as the Moto Edge series, although the updates tend not to arrive as fast as some others such as Samsung or OnePlus. These however do remain a viable option for budget seekers.
Conclusion
Apple Infinitely understands software update subjects, holding the front position way ahead of all others based on good long-term support and an impeccable update user experience. Right on its heels is Google with timely updates and decent support for Pixel. However, Samsung does seem to have made serious improvements in update commitment—a new plus flagship model will receive an extended support guarantee. Another good competitor is OnePlus and Xiaomi that all promise fairly quick updates on the phone, albeit somewhat lacking when compared to the more responsible Google and Apple.
Those who value immediate future-proofing, security patch updates, and static performance should still place Apple at the highest honor. However, that is not to say Android users cannot look to excellent options such as Google and Samsung that guarantee competitive policies for software updates.