It's the end of the road for Samsung's Galaxy S20 family
- P
- Push
- xjH
- 09 Apr 2025
Got the S25 Ultra a couple months back. Switched from the legendry Galaxy Note 9. A big jump after 7 years.
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- Anonymous
- IbL
- 09 Apr 2025
I want to keep my phone for at least 6 years before needing a new one. 6-9 years is what I personally would like. That is why I chose the pixel 6a, because I wanted monthly security updates. I prefer timely security updates over os updates. The number of hackers worries me. I know google updates regularly. Even though I would like another brand but moto doesn't do monthly security updates on their more budget phones.
To answer the question, I have switched my phones around 5 years due to unusability or the previous phones just giving out.
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- Anonymous
- IbL
- 09 Apr 2025
Anonymous, 09 Apr 2025The biggest mistake most people make, is assuming 7 years (... moreThat's me, still rockin a pixel 6a with cracked screen. I know not everyone's needs are the same
- 403
- PyK
- 09 Apr 2025
YUKI93, 09 Apr 2025It's hard to believe the S20 Ultra still has the large... more*What happened to Samsung nowadays?
Here, I fix your question.
- 403
- PyK
- 09 Apr 2025
Anonymous, 09 Apr 2025The biggest mistake most people make, is assuming 7 years (... moreUnlike iOS, that "old" Android version is still usable even 5 years after its EOL date.
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- Anonymous
- I2c
- 09 Apr 2025
The beauty of Android is, it’s not actually the end of the road if the phone maker drop support for your phone. The phone will still be getting Google Play system updates, and also apps like the browser are still updated from the Play Store. I mean the market is filled with out of date Chinese phones but we don’t see a security meltdown. Google has done a great job combating fragmentation with compartmentalization.
For example, I have an old phone stuck on Android 12. Last security patch was June 2023. But it’s still up to date on Google Play System update March 2025.
- p
- potato4k
- I2c
- 09 Apr 2025
CellphoneEnjoyer, 09 Apr 2025I don't know anything about software, but I'm won... moreIt’s not just about the OS itself, there are also drivers for the hardware components that might have limited updates from the component makers. Qualcomm was notorious for not supporting their SoCs for long, although they’re getting better now.
- YUKI93
- K1F
- 09 Apr 2025
It's hard to believe the S20 Ultra still has the largest telephoto camera on any Samsung flagship model released to date. We used to have great competition back then. What happened to the smartphone industry nowadays?
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- Anonymous
- KLR
- 09 Apr 2025
great news for international users since it was infested with exynos American youtubers lied about S20 series without knowing it, too soon.
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- Anonymous
- 0$I
- 09 Apr 2025
CellphoneEnjoyer, 09 Apr 2025I don't know anything about software, but I'm won... moreThe cost SHOULD be 0. Stock Android? No such thing as limits, android 15 can run on pretty much anything, it's flexible, adaptable, open. OneUI from Samsung? Much different but only because the company made it that way, it's a "strategy".
Take Apple's iOS and Vivo's OS for example (because idk about other examples), Apple developed a new modem, now they require specialized instructions for it, if you have an older iPhone with an up to date OS it will contain a bunch of dormant code you have no use for because you don't have that new personalized modem in it. In this case however, the Apple device will still work because it has a way to fall back to older instructions in case of missing personalized hardware. That's why they essentialy have infinite updates.
Vivo's personalized graphics chip however, is so specialized and optimized for that specific set of devices that if they are not recognized, like running their OS on a Samsung phone or older vivo without the personalized hardware, it would just fail, because there is no fallback logic in place, because that's the company's development model, same with Samsung and all the others.
Samsung takes this a step further, rather than the entire system crashing because of missing personalized hardware; their OneUI can crash because it removes the adaptive nature behind Android ITSELF which in turn makes their OneUI more efficient, with the small downside that a single android update (16,17,18) could completely destroy oneUI, thus making it far more expensive to maintain than what it SHOULD be. They ALL could've avoided this, but didn't, no idea why
- Cah Nglayab
- tDT
- 09 Apr 2025
"How much updates is enough?"
Depends on the person. Regular people who doesn't need top-tier security? As long as the device functional, it's okay if there's no updates. Third-party security apps exist.
People who needs extra security? Security patch update is mandatory for them.
People who always wants something fresh? The major OS updates matter more for them.
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- Anonymous
- Jw1
- 09 Apr 2025
I always take care of my devices and use them until they're completely worn out. It's like a sweatshirt that wears out from washing, but I still use it. Money can buy more important things, like video games. A Switch 2 will definitely destroy the sales of Lagdroids, which cost over $400.
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- Anonymous
- Jw1
- 09 Apr 2025
We mustn't forget that #TeamPixel pioneered the industry by offering a whopping 7 years. We also mustn't forget that #TeamPixel loves its customers, and the Pixels 6 and 7 that originally offered 3 years have been extended to 7 years. 7 years is the minimum, and I'll honestly be buying my next Pixel in 7 years. See you in 2035 xD
- Cah Nglayab
- tDT
- 09 Apr 2025
CellphoneEnjoyer, 09 Apr 2025I don't know anything about software, but I'm won... moreDisclaimer, I'm not S I R E but here's what I know.
First of all, making sure it's fit.
Even for security patches, the company must make sure that the base model from Google (Apple and Huawei have their own OS so...) given isn't going to badly influence anything, such as camera, performance, etc. There's been cases that after security patch update something bad happened. And this fitting process alone takes a lot of money and time.
Major OS update is basically the security patch but with far more fitting process. Also much more expensive.
Secondly, commitment.
You said you're giving 4 years, give it 4 years. Constantly repeating that fitting process is no easy task, especially if we taken into account inflation and anything that can influence the process in said period of time. Such as new Government Policy.
Third, number of devices and sheer diversity.
There's a reason why Apple can be so committed at software updates. By only releasing a small number of model every year and using custom chips & home made OS it's easy for Apple to do such fitting. Android is a different story. Snapdragon, Dimensity, Exynos, Tensor, Helio, UniSoc, JLQ (Xiaomi Poco C40 if I remember correctly) and old Kirin when Huawei still use Android, they're making up the diversity of chipset in the Android world, contrast to Apple only using their owns. These chips are different, and requires different fitting.
And then there's the sheer diversity of UI. The same company can have more than 1. And finally the number of devices promised to receive updates.
4th, profit.
These companies definitely needs to make profit, one of the reason is to make sure everyone working for them gets paid.
Combine all of these factor, and you may can imagine how expensive it is to roll out software updates. Also number 4 is more like a bonus.
- D
- DoodleDan777
- 0$I
- 09 Apr 2025
CellphoneEnjoyer, 09 Apr 2025I don't know anything about software, but I'm won... moreThe cost SHOULD be 0. Stock Android? No such thing as limits, android 15 can run on pretty much anything, it's flexible, adaptable, open. OneUI from Samsung? Much different but only because the company made it that way, it's a "strategy".
Take Apple's iOS and Vivo's OS for example (because idk about other examples), Apple developed a new modem, now they require specialized instructions for it, if you have an older iPhone with an up to date OS it will contain a bunch of dormant code you have no use for because you don't have that new personalized modem in it. In this case however, the Apple device will still work because it has a way to fall back to older instructions in case of missing personalized hardware. That's why they essentialy have infinite updates.
Vivo's personalized graphics chip however, is so specialized and optimized for that specific set of devices that if they are not recognized, like running their OS on a Samsung phone or older vivo without the personalized hardware, it would just fail, because there is no fallback logic in place, because that's the company's development model, same with Samsung and all the others.
Samsung takes this a step further, rather than the entire system crashing because of missing personalized hardware; their OneUI can crash because it removes the adaptive nature behind Android ITSELF which in turn makes their OneUI more efficient, with the small downside that a single android update (16,17,18) could completely destroy oneUI, thus making it far more expensive to maintain than what it SHOULD be. They ALL could've avoided this, but didn't, no idea why.
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- Anonymous
- E5h
- 09 Apr 2025
The biggest mistake most people make, is assuming 7 years (Pixel and Samsung) is not needed because "most people replace their phone earlier".
But what people forget it that there are a lot of people that buy a older model for much less, something I see for years with iphones, and a newer trend with Samsung and Pixel.
So someone who would get a S24 3 years after launch for a nice price, would still get 4 OS updates.
Same with Pixel 9 series or S25, they buy a older device that would still be supported, instead of getting one near the end of that or beyond.
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- Anonymous
- XWp
- 09 Apr 2025
doesn't matter really, last samsung phone i've crush was s10 series. Androiid update are not necessary for usability i guess, since 64 bit same operating system from android 10, some privacy feature and difficult andriod folder access on newer version. Though I'm using android 15, version 10 is always no 1 choice for me.
- justasmile
- uQ5
- 09 Apr 2025
The fact that A53 doesn't even match the A52s or S20 in performance and receives more updates than it anyway. Or yet, the A14 that has the same chip as A32 but worse in other specs, gets android 15 while the A32 didn't
Samsung should be like Apple here - set a specific RAM and chip requirement for every version. I think that'll be less confusing. But wait, that'll eat into their A-series sales.
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- Anonymous
- xjH
- 09 Apr 2025
Marcus80, 09 Apr 2025Enough is enough. No one care about super magic updates tha... moreThe phone is usable even without updates, as long as the battery is okay and the processor can still do tasks without too much lag