Smartphones with the best software longevity

[Daniel Puchert]

Smartphones with the best long-term support in South Africa

Two Android smartphone manufacturers offer longer support for new feature updates and security patches than Apple.

Long software support is important for customers who plan to keep their smartphones for more than the typical two to three years.

 

[felixbf]

Alot of the info incorrect.

My Xiaomi Mi Mix 4 from September 2021 when I got it. Went from Android 11 to 14. Just got a massive security update yesterday.
Getting Android 15 too.

 

[Bernoldus Niemand]

Google already backtracked from that since the Pixel 9 launched with Android 14. https://businessworld.in/article/pi...ate-over-google’s-7-year-update-pledge-529858

Google has introduced the Pixel 9 series on August 13, but fans were surprised to discover that the new handsets ran Android 14 rather than the anticipated Android 15. This surprise change has raised questions about Google's commitment to its 7-year update pledge, which was a significant selling point at the Pixel 8 series introduction last year.

 

[RaptorSA]

F**k all of these companies.
Long-term support on devices this expensive shouldn't even be a question let alone bragging about it.

Unlock the bootloader on your next generic Android and be done with it.
Zero problems with my 2017 OnePlus 5T and it's running the latest Android 14 with security patches almost weekly.

Lineage OS FTW.

 

[TofuMofu]

F**k all of these companies.
Long-term support on devices this expensive shouldn't even be a question let alone bragging about it.

Unlock the bootloader on your next generic Android and be done with it.
Zero problems with my 2017 OnePlus 5T and it's running the latest Android 14 with security patches almost weekly.

Lineage OS FTW.
View attachment 1761773

And banking works?

 

[RaptorSA]

And banking works?

It does yeah.
It didn't for a few weeks on my Poco F3 but then started working again after banking app update.
Not sure what the story with that was....

Worst case there is a way to get banking apps working with Magisk and app whitelisting.

 

[RedViking]

Why ?

I have 150 apps that needs updating for the last two years and working fine without updating them. Only the banking app that needs to be updated to work. Oh and WhatsApp now and then.

My experience is if you update something, the chances are bigger that something won't work. Only update if something stopped working.

 

[Dolby]

"The company pointed out that smartphones from as far back as 2017 can still run Apple’s current operating systems, the company said."

Can you imagine how limited those devices are? Technically, they can run the latest ... but is it the latest? @Bernoldus Niemand your iPhone was lacking features and it was 2 weeks old, right? You couldn't limit your battery?

 

[Bernoldus Niemand]

"The company pointed out that smartphones from as far back as 2017 can still run Apple’s current operating systems, the company said."

Can you imagine how limited those devices are? Technically, they can run the latest ... but is it the latest? @Bernoldus Niemand your iPhone was lacking features and it was 2 weeks old, right? You couldn't limit your battery?

Why would you want to limit an old battery?

 

[Dolby]

Why would you want to limit an old battery?

There was an example.

But I mean your iPhone 14 was only 2 weeks old and you couldn’t limit?

I felt bad for you expecting 10 years of updates

 

[Johnatan56]

Google already backtracked from that since the Pixel 9 launched with Android 14. https://businessworld.in/article/pixel-9-series-comes-with-android-14-sparks-debate-over-google’s-7-year-update-pledge-529858

No they didn't? They released the phone before official Android 15 roll-out, the article you link to states various plausible reasons to that launch was delayed. Also Google's pledge is years of software updates, not that it would be a number of major Android OS.

Pixel's official launch date for Android 15 is October 15th.

Despite never committing to long-term support, Apple has typically offered six years of software and security updates, substantially longer than Android manufacturers.

And do note that iOS requires that e.g. safari updates are via system updates.

In Android more and more of the system is being updated via the Play Store instead, this includes stuff like the android kernel (Google promised at least 6 years of updates for Project Treble enabled devices ~2017 / devices that launched with Android 9 (Pie) all get kernel upgrades) and includes browser updates for at least the last decade.

With Android 10 this became Project Mainline, and every major android OS has moved more components to be modular, list here:

Mainline | Android Open Source Project

source.android.com

And as more and more components over the years have been added to that, it means all users to get new features that e.g. allows instant WiFi feature:

Google Play services v24.37 (2024-09-23)​

Device Connectivity​

• [Phone] With the instant Wi-Fi feature, you can now share your Wi-Fi password with your other nearby devices with just one tap.
• [Phone] With this new feature, you’ll be able to use QR codes to find nearby devices and transfer photos, videos, files, and more.

Google System Services Release Notes - Help

Google system services updates make your Android devices more secure and reliable, and give you new and useful features. They include updates from Google to the Android operating system, Google Play S

support.google.com

EDIT:
And Android 15 should probably add NFC to the mainline stack.
Should also add Thread (smart home communication protocol, Pixel 9 has the radio built in), and UWB (ultra wide-band, e.g. should help with finding lost earbuds and stuff).

 

[Bernoldus Niemand]

There was an example.

But I mean your iPhone 14 was only 2 weeks old and you couldn’t limit?

I felt bad for you expecting 10 years of updates

Again why limit an old battery?

 

[Dolby]

Again why limit an old battery?

I’m not sure what you’re asking, but it’s probably Apple logic.

Your 2 week old battery was old and no point in limiting to extend battery? But an iPhone 15 with a 2 week old battery is fine?

My iPhone 13 has no Always On because the screen is 10hz-120hz - so Apple chose for me to save my battery. But they won’t let me limit to 80% to save it? But if the phone gets too hot, then they’ll limit to 80%?

And I get a half assed Standby mode because my screen and the battery …yet I need to plugged in to get Standby?

Apple don’t even know what they’re doing

 

[Botha22]

Google already backtracked from that since the Pixel 9 launched with Android 14. https://businessworld.in/article/pi...ate-over-google’s-7-year-update-pledge-529858

There is nothing in the article to support your conclusion that "Google has already backtracked"

 

[Dolby]

And it's not only the phones ...

The Apple TV 4K (1st Generation) can't do FaceTime
The Apple TV 4K (2nd Generation) can't do HDR10+

Image buying the most advanced, updatable media player on the market ... and it isn't actually updated with the latest features?

 

[Bernoldus Niemand]

No they didn't? They released the phone before official Android 15 roll-out, the article you link to states various plausible reasons to that launch was delayed. Also Google's pledge is years of software updates, not that it would be a number of major Android OS.

Pixel's official launch date for Android 15 is October 15th.


And do note that iOS requires that e.g. safari updates are via system updates.

In Android more and more of the system is being updated via the Play Store instead, this includes stuff like the android kernel (Google promised at least 6 years of updates for Project Treble enabled devices ~2017 / devices that launched with Android 9 (Pie) all get kernel upgrades) and includes browser updates for at least the last decade.

With Android 10 this became Project Mainline, and every major android OS has moved more components to be modular, list here:

Mainline | Android Open Source Project

source.android.com

And as more and more components over the years have been added to that, it means all users to get new features that e.g. allows instant WiFi feature:


EDIT:
And Android 15 should probably add NFC to the mainline stack.
Should also add Thread (smart home communication protocol, Pixel 9 has the radio built in), and UWB (ultra wide-band, e.g. should help with finding lost earbuds and stuff).

Band aid on a bullet hole.

Ahead of Android 15's launch, Android 14 is on at least 13% of active devices

We’re likely just a couple of weeks away from the launch of Android 15, at least if we’re assuming new...

9to5google.com

Android Distribution Numbers as of May 1, 2024​

• Latest version: Android 14 at 13%
• Most popular version: Android 13 at 20.9%

 

[Bernoldus Niemand]

I’m not sure what you’re asking, but it’s probably Apple logic.

Yeah you never do.

Edit: Not like the feature helps a lot anyway.

Apple's 80% Charging Limit for iPhone: How Much Did It Help After a Year?

With the iPhone 15 models that came out last year, Apple added an opt-in battery setting that limits maximum charge to 80 percent. The idea is that never charging the iPhone above 80 percent will increase battery longevity, so I kept my iPhone at that 80 percent limit from September 2023 to now...

www.macrumors.com

I don't have a lot of data points for comparison, but it does seem that limiting the charge to 80 percent kept my maximum battery capacity higher than what my co-workers are seeing, but there isn't a major difference. I have four percent more battery at 28 more cycles, and I'm not sure suffering through an 80 percent battery limit for 12 months was ultimately worth it.

 

[Dolby]

Edit: Not like the feature helps a lot anyway.

Hold the bus

Are you saying that Apple launched a low resolution fingerprint scanner that is insecure?
AND they launched this battery feature, meaning a person could CHOOSE to have it on off?
AND although it was better than his colleagues, it wasn't good enough for you?

Mind.Blown!

 

[Bernoldus Niemand]

Hold the bus

Are you saying that Apple launched a low resolution fingerprint scanner that is insecure?
AND they launched this battery feature, meaning a person could CHOOSE to have it on off?
AND although it was better than his colleagues, it wasn't good enough for you?

Mind.Blown!

It wasn't good enough for him, but twisting words is your past time.

 

[Johnatan56]

Band aid on a bullet hole.

Ahead of Android 15's launch, Android 14 is on at least 13% of active devices

We’re likely just a couple of weeks away from the launch of Android 15, at least if we’re assuming new...

9to5google.com

So I write a thing where the entire point is that you don't need the latest Android version to get security updates (or feature updates for modules that your phone launched with) for most things (unlike Apple), and you say that in reply?

Also the chart was from the last week of April, e.g. statcounter:


I would bet it's safe to assume that a majority of flagships released in the last 3-4 years are on Android 13/14 and that they're basically all still getting security updates, so same as Apple.