Samsung was the first major Android OEM to offer four generations of Android OS updates. It later raised the bar to seven major OS updates for flagships and six for mid-range models. The company might now further extend support to eight years thanks to Google and Qualcomm. The Galaxy S25 series can handle updates for up to eight years without hardware limitations.
Samsung flagships could get eight years of updates thanks to Google and Qualcomm
Google and Qualcomm recently announced a program enabling smartphone manufacturers to provide up to eight years of Android OS and security updates. This initiative will allow brands like Samsung to extend software longevity without major hardware limitations, thanks to continued support for kernel updates and additional software components.
According to Qualcomm, this program will provide two upgrades to the mobile platform’s Android Common Kernel (ACK). This ensures compatibility for an extended update cycle of up to eight years. The chipset won’t be a bottleneck if a manufacturer wants to offer longer update support. Sadly, “legacy platforms cannot take advantage of the extended support,” Qualcomm confirms.
While the new policy allows for extended updates, it doesn’t guarantee that all manufacturers will implement it across their product lines. As mentioned above, Samsung has already committed to seven years of updates for its flagship models. In fact, some enterprise models receive eight years of support. It remains to be seen if the company goes all the way to offer eight years of updates.
If it adopts the new policy enabled by Google and Qualcomm, the Galaxy S25 series could receive eight years of updates. Qualcomm says its Snapdragon 8 Elite-powered phones are the first to fall under this program. All three Galaxy S25 models run this chipset globally. Qualcomm plans to extend support to future Snapdragon 7 and Snapdragon 8 series chips.
