Major smartphone manufacturers, including Google and Samsung, have shifted toward seven-year software support cycles for flagship devices, aiming to extend the functional lifespan of hardware. While this marks a significant increase from previous four- and five-year policies, users are currently testing the limits of these devices as older models, such as the Pixel 6 and Galaxy S22, enter their final stages of official update support.
The Evolution of Android Update Policies
Samsung and Google eventually disrupted this trend by committing to longer support windows.
Samsung’s Galaxy S22 series, which launched in early 2022, was originally promised four years of Android OS updates and five years of security patches. As is standard for the company, these phones have transitioned to a quarterly security update schedule, a clear signal that the hardware is entering its final year of active maintenance.
Google’s approach with the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro followed a different trajectory. Upon their 2021 release, Google committed to three years of OS updates and five years of security updates. The company later extended the OS update promise to five years. Google’s support policy dictates that Pixel phones receive updates for a set number of years from when the device first became available on the Google Store in the U.S. For the Pixel 6, that support window is scheduled to conclude in October 2026.
Lifecycle Benchmarks and Hardware Longevity
The transition to a seven-year support window—now standard for the Google Pixel 8 and Samsung Galaxy S24 series—has not yet been fully realized in the field. Because these policies are recent, no device has reached the seven-year milestone.
The industry is currently observing the "end of life" phase for devices that operated under the previous five-year standard. The Galaxy S21 series, for instance, concluded its five-year support cycle in February 2024. Similarly, the Nothing Phone (1) recently reached the end of its four-year support commitment.
| Device Series | Original Support Promise | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Galaxy S21 | 5 Years | Support Concluded (Feb 2024) |
| Galaxy S22 | 5 Years | Quarterly Update Phase |
| Pixel 6 | 5 Years | Quarterly Update Phase |
| Nothing Phone (1) | 4 Years | Support Concluded |
User Experience and Update Frequency
As devices enter their final year of support, manufacturers typically move them to a quarterly update cadence rather than the monthly security patches provided to newer hardware.
The primary question facing the industry is whether five or seven years of support effectively encourages long-term ownership.