With Android smartphones, software updates are often over after just two years. Accordingly, it comes as a surprise that Samsung is now releasing extensive updates for older cell phone models.
At the beginning of August there was already an update for the Galaxy J7. Samsung is now following up with updates for other older models, some of which also date back to 2015. It’s worth noting mainly because it’s so unusual. Normally, Android smartphones don’t get updates for that long. This is what users should know about the software update from Samsung.
Updates extend the lifespan of smartphones
In general, it can be said that regardless of manufacturer and operating system updates are good for the devices. They fix security gaps, bring new functions and generally extend the half-life of a smartphone. It is not possible to estimate how many smartphones Samsung will extend the service life of with this wave of updates. But it could be many millions.
The update apparently deals primarily with the GPS module. According to the manufacturer, there is a need for correction with regard to location determination. In addition, the updates should provide further stability improvements.
Which Samsung phones get the update?
In fact, several models get the update that are no longer fresh, but of course not all of them. The following Samsung Galaxy phones are affected:
- S5 Neo
- alpha
- S6, S6 Edge and S6 Edge+
- A7 (2018)
- S7 and S7 Edge
- S8 and S8+
- grade 8
“Teltarif.de“ recommends owners of these devices to check the update manually. To do this, simply go to the settings and look for the “Software updates” item. You should do this at regular intervals anyway, because updates are usually not distributed all at once, but in waves.
Update duty is a blunt sword
For devices with software sold since the beginning of the year – including smartphones – there is a so-called update obligation in the EU. But you can’t rely on that, criticizes the European Consumer Center Germany. On the one hand, because the EU directive does not ascribe the obligation to update to the manufacturers, but to the dealers.
On the other hand, because retailers do not necessarily have to state how long the digital product is guaranteed to be updated before making a purchase. Because this period is not exactly defined by the law. Buyers could only try to include the software updates factor in their purchase decision based on criteria such as the price, the usual service life of the device, update promises and manufacturer experience.
With information from the dpa.