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Apple, Samsung, Google and others now support phones for 5 to 8 years. Here's the 2026 update window for each, and how to check yours.
It depends on the brand, but in 2026 the leaders offer about seven years. Samsung Galaxy flagships (S, Z and Tab S from 2024 onward) and Google Pixel 8 and newer both guarantee seven OS upgrades plus seven years of security patches, while Fairphone 6 stretches to eight. Apple doesn't quote a fixed number but typically delivers five to six major iOS releases with security fixes beyond that, and now promises a minimum of five years on the iPhone 15 and later.
Mid-range and budget phones get much less - often two to four years - so the figure varies enormously even within one brand. Two clocks matter: OS upgrades for new features and security patches for safety fixes. The security window is the one that protects your data, so it's the number to prioritize.
Crucially, the countdown starts at the phone's launch, not your purchase date. To check yours, look up your exact model on the maker's official support page and compare it with the current patch date shown in Settings.
OS updates deliver new Android or iOS versions and features, while security updates patch vulnerabilities. Security patches are the more important of the two for keeping your data safe, and they often continue for a time after OS upgrades stop.
They count from the phone's original release or first US sale, not your purchase date. Buying a model a year or two after launch means fewer remaining years of updates.
It will keep working, but it stops receiving security patches, leaving known flaws unfixed. For anything involving banking, email or payments, it's wise to upgrade once security support ends.
Samsung's Galaxy S, Z and Tab S (2024 and later) and Google Pixel 8 and newer all offer seven years, while Fairphone 6 promises up to eight years of OS updates.
Check your current patch level in Settings (About phone then Software update on Android, or General then Software Update on iPhone), then look up your exact model's end-of-support date on the manufacturer's official support page.
Not always. Batteries, storage and performance can degrade before seven years, so a long software promise is most valuable when paired with a replaceable or easily serviced battery.
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