Samsung has constantly raised the bar for software support in the Android smartphone segment. It was the first brand to promise four major Android OS updates to its phones. Last year, it went one step ahead and promised to provide seven major Android OS updates to the Galaxy S24.

In the future, if it wants, it could even offer eight major Android OS updates.

Google and Qualcomm will allow brands like Samsung to offer 8 major Android OS updates

Google and Qualcomm have announced that they will offer smartphone brands the ability to offer up to eight years of major Android OS and security updates. Qualcomm and Google will provide kernel updates and additional software required to offer major Android OS updates without significant changes.

Qualcomm explained that this program includes “two upgrades to the mobile platform’s Android Common Kernel (ACK) to support the eight-year window.” This means that if Android smartphone brands want, they can offer Android OS updates for up to eight years, and the support required from the chip manufacturer won't be a bottleneck.

This doesn't mean all Android OEMs will start offering eight Android OS updates, certainly not for affordable or mid-range phones. Google's and Qualcomm's partnership for this program begins with the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip (used in the Galaxy S25 series) and will support devices launched with Android 15 onboard.

The program runs for the next five generations and will support the Snapdragon 7 series and Snapdragon 8 series chips that will launch later this year.

Samsung already offers up to seven major Android OS updates for all its high-end phones, which were launched in 2024 and later. For some enterprise models, it already provides eight Android OS updates. It remains to be seen if it brings that 8-year update policy to future non-enterprise smartphones and tablets.

Chris Patrick, SVP and GM of the Mobile Handsets division at Qualcomm Technologies, said, “Qualcomm Technologies is excited to take this step forward, working closely with Google to facilitate the latest Android OS upgrades on devices with Snapdragon. With this advancement, we are raising the bar, providing more flexibility for our OEMs, and ultimately enhancing user experiences. We’re excited to see more OEM devices that support Android OS longevity soon.“

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