Among the sea of smartphones we find in the market today, there’s little doubt that Samsung makessome of the best. The manufacturer is expected to take the wraps off theGalaxy S24 seriesin a few days' time at itsUnpacked hardware event, and leaks have already managed to revealpractically everythingwe need to know about the three flagships. While AI is expected to be one of the key points of focus for the company, we’re now learning that the company may have another software surprise in store.
According to exclusive reporting byAndroid Headlines, Samsung could bundle the new Galaxy flagships with seven years of software support. To be clear, the report couldn’t confirm if this means security patches or full Android and One UI updates. But assuming it’s the latter, this is massive news for the world of Android and one that could encourage other smartphone makers to follow suit.
Google made the headlines during thePixel 8 launchlast October when it announced an unprecedented seven years of software and security updates for the two phones. Samsung had indicated at the time that it was considering anextension of security updatesfor its phones, while no info was provided on Android and One UI updates.
It will be interesting to see if last year’s flagships, like theGalaxy S23 seriesand the Galaxy Z Fold 5/Z Flip 5, would also receive the same seven-year software support, assuming this leak is accurate. But asSamMobilenotes, Samsung could be inclined to add its 2023 flagships to the list as well. Back when the company officially extended the number of Android and One UI upgrades fromthree to four, it also included the Galaxy S21, which debuted the year before. So the company could follow a similar pattern with this rumored extension.
The same Android Headlines report also claims that Samsung will provide the Galaxy AI features free of charge “until at least 2025.” This suggests that the company might hide some of these capabilities behind a paywall from 2026. If true, this could set an unfortunate precedent for the industry, although brands like Google currently offer the full suite ofAI features on the Pixel 8 seriesat no cost.
Despite Samsung’s best attempts to keep leaks at bay, the floodgates appear to have opened up since last week. There are a ton of leaked marketing materials already floating around on the internet (if they haven’t been taken down yet), detailing everything from the use of materials on the new flagships to the AI-related camera tricks they can perform.
Meanwhile, Samsung is letting users pre-reserve the Galaxy S24 ahead of the Wednesday unveiling. Customers who reserve their unitswill get $50 in creditto spend on accessories like cases, earbuds, smartwatches, or other accessories from Samsung.com.
