An important development for Android is Google's new seven-year software update pledge for the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. However, it also draws attention to one of the greatest flaws that all Android phones, regardless of price, have: a lack of adequate software support. For instance, Google's $449 Pixel 5A from 2021 won't get any new software or Android OS updates until August 2024. Updates every three years might fly by rather quickly.
In light of inflation and the ongoing drop in smartphone sales, consumers may be searching for gadgets they can use for as long as feasible. Although it also points out that phone manufacturers are still depending on the largely stable market for luxury phones, market research firm Canalys forecasts that the North American smartphone market will shrink by 12% this year. extended upgrade periods are necessary to keep users updated with new features and security measures as they keep their phones for extended periods of time.
Inflation isn't the only factor driving the demand for longer software support for phones. The update extension comes in tandem with an initiative to make phones easier to fix. Electronics-related right to repair laws are becoming more common in US states, and recent European Union right to repair proposals also cover phones and tablets.
Here are the main benefits that phone buyers stand to gain if the industry as a whole adopts longer phone lifespans as Google starts to push its own Android phones to survive longer.
Android update support is still a mess across the industry
The $599 Pixel 6 and $899 Pixel 6 Pro received five years of security updates from Google starting in 2021, which is scheduled to expire in October 2026. But software updates remained at three years, thus the Pixel 6 is likely to stop receiving new software features with the release of Android 15 next year.
In contrast, if you purchased an iPhone 12 Mini or an iPhone 13 from Apple in 2021 for $599 or $829, respectively, you were undoubtedly receiving software and security updates for much longer than three years. Although the iPhone 6S from 2015 is no longer receiving software updates, it is still receiving security-focused fixes for users who are still using those phones. Apple's iPhone XR and XS from 2018 each received this year's iOS 17.
When comparing Samsung, Motorola, and OnePlus, the situation is very different. Prior to the Pixel 8 launch, Samsung had offered five years of security updates for its Galaxy S and Z phones, which was a match for Google's policy of four years for software updates. Samsung's $200 Galaxy A14 5G receives two years of software updates but five years of security updates under the cheaper Galaxy A series.
For some of its phones, like the OnePlus 11, OnePlus has lately started guaranteeing a similar four years of software updates and five years of security patches.
While Motorola has always trailed behind, it currently commits to providing the $1,000 Razr Plus with three years of software updates and four years of security patches. In response to Google's statement, I've contacted Apple, Samsung, Motorola, and OnePlus for comments on these regulations.
It can be challenging to remember how long an Android phone is safe to use given these disparate restrictions. This would at least provide customers the most freedom over whether or not they wanted a phone upgrade if the policies could be expanded to fit whether someone wanted to keep their phone for two years or for more than five years.
Phones need security support to remain safe
The continual internet connection that phones have brings with it the sad risk of security vulnerabilities on your phone. To keep your phone secure, phone manufacturers often provide upgrades.
In order to determine if it's safe to keep using phones that are no longer receiving security updates, my colleague Andrew Lanxon conducted research. According to the specialists he spoke with, an old phone may have software flaws that enable thieves to access your data or put malware on your device.
Unfortunately, even expensive new Android phones have relatively short wait times for security updates. Even while the $649 RedMagic 8 Pro's top-tier specifications should ordinarily enable it to last for years, I criticized it for only offering two years of guaranteed security upgrades. When official update support for these devices finishes, the gaming-focused audience RedMagic targets may flash these gadgets with homebrew firmware to acquire new features. However, the majority of individuals lack the time necessary to DIY their phones to that extent.)
The Fairphone 5 presently beats Google with an eight-year promise to security upgrades and with availability to spare parts for do-it-yourself repair, even though Google's seven-year pledge is now the longest stated commitment we've seen from a major phone maker. Even though Fairphone isn't as well recognized as other smartphone brands in the market, it has so far kept its word. It will continue to release software updates for the Fairphone 3 through 2026.
Comparatively, Android 13 was updated to Google's Pixel 4 and 4 XL in 2019 last year, and it was updated once more in February 2023. However, they are no longer receiving fresh updates. According to Droidlife, Samsung's Galaxy S10 range appears to have received its final updates early this year as well.
Today's phone hardware can go the distance, and repair costs are dropping
Except in cases when a phone has been lost or damaged, battery life and performance are frequently the main reasons to replace one.
Office Depot surveyed 1,018 people in 2019, and found that 63% of them mentioned
battery life concerns as the cause, followed closely by poor processing rates and a faulty charging connector.
However, many of those problems are now easier to address, enabling devices to last longer. Software optimizations help manage a phone's performance and battery. A lost device can be pinged using Find My Device on Android. And costs to repair devices -- while still high in some cases -- have been declining. An out-of-warranty battery replacement usually costs around $100 or less: For instance, getting a Samsung Galaxy S21's
battery replaced at Best Buy costs $80.
Google made a point of highlighting how the new phone line should be simpler to fix during the announcement of the Pixel 8, as well as its ongoing collaboration with iFixit to provide spare parts and repair instructions. According to Google, the availability of replacement components will endure for the same seven years as software support. Apple has also changed the way the iPhone is constructed in an effort to lower some repair costs. The aluminum foundation of the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max makes it simpler to swap out cracked or damaged back glass.
These initiatives should encourage the phone industry to take steps to increase device longevity, requiring you to replace your phone only in extreme cases.
However, I do wish that phone manufacturers would go a step further and make hardware upgrades just as simple as software ones. Around ten years ago, in 2013, Google created the Project Ara modular phone idea, which allowed users to essentially assemble own phones by snapping pieces together, much like a PC. Theoretically, the idea would for quick repairs and even phone upgrades. But that hope was crushed when launch plans were postponed and ultimately abandoned.
Software updates are great, but there's still more that can lengthen a phone's life
It's astonishing how many venerable issues we still encounter on the devices, despite phones getting greater software support years, stunning new cameras, and smarter AI-powered capabilities.
Any gadget would benefit from improved durability, regardless of price, whether it means discovering new ways to stop phones from scuffing or simply making phones less likely to shatter when dropped on concrete.
There have been advancements in the phone industry: Apple's Ceramic Shield has increased the iPhone's screen durability, and Samsung has a dedicated QA lab for testing its phones under demanding conditions including drops and extremely hot or cold environments.
However, phones continue to malfunction. Despite being built of titanium, the new iPhone 15 Pro fractured during a bend test that didn't harm any other iPhone 15 models, according to the YouTube channel JerryRigEverything.
Although the majority of contemporary smartphones can withstand water and dust, heat resistance may be the next area for advancement. At the moment, phone software helps minimize overheating if your gadget spends too much time in direct sunshine. This week, Apple released a patch to address complaints about the iPhone 15 Pro's overheating.
However, a few of the gaming phones I've examined have more sophisticated cooling systems than the usual phone, which allows them to continue operating while supporting powerful graphics. When used with a cooling fan accessory, which is overkill, the Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate includes a door that literally opens to improve airflow to the hot processor and GPU. However, it still leads me to believe that phone manufacturers should be doing more to create superior cooling systems.
Lastly, while right to repair laws are improving access to phone repairs, these fixes are still difficult to manage without officially licensed parts and guides. For instance, Apple's iPhone 14 recently had its repairability score
downgraded by iFixit due to requiring a software handshake even when using genuine replacement parts from Apple. Compared with long-running industries like those behind kitchen appliances and computers, the phone market sees off-the-shelf parts that are often unusable in repairs. Meanwhile, Valve's Steam Deck handheld gaming console is quite simple to crack open to upgrade with more storage. Some companies are selling
aftermarket Steam Deck screens with higher resolutions.
