Is more always better? OnePlus says 7-year updates are overhyped (here’s why)،
Have you ever wondered why some smartphones receive less software support than others? Currently, only two Android smartphone manufacturers, Google and Samsung, offer 7 years of software updates for their flagship devices. In comparison, most other manufacturers offer their users around 3 years of major operating system updates and up to 5 years of security patches. Well, we might finally have the answer, at least from the perspective of the president of one of the leading Android smartphone makers, OnePlus. In an interview with Tom's guide, Kinder Liu, COO and president of OnePlus, explained why the OnePlus 12 series gets four to five years of updates instead of the seven offered by Google and Samsung. With the last OnePlus 12the Chinese company continues to provide four years of Android updates as well as an additional year of security patches.
The more budget-friendly OnePlus 12R takes a step back with three years of Android updates and four years of security support. This approach is even more generous than what some Android phone manufacturers offer, especially for cheaper devices.
When asked why the OnePlus 12 doesn't match its main rivals, like the latest Galaxy S24 series and the Pixel 8 Pro with 7 years of support, Liu explained:
Simply proposing longer software update policies completely misses the point. It's not just the software update policies that are important to the user, but also the smoothness of your phone's user experience.
In simpler terms, having extensive software support isn't of much value if the phone's hardware is struggling to keep up. The OnePlus president used a simple metaphor to explain why the company doesn't match the support of its competitors.
Imagine your phone is a sandwich. Some manufacturers now claim that their sandwich filling – the software on their phone – will still be good to eat in seven years. But what they don't tell you is that the bread in the sandwich – the user experience – could go moldy after four years. Suddenly, a seven-year software update policy no longer matters because the rest of your experience with the phone is terrible.
Liu also shared that OnePlus had conducted testing with TÜV SUD (an international company based in Germany that offers a wide range of testing, certification, auditing and consulting services) to simulate years of use of the OnePlus 12 and OnePlus 12R. In view of the results, the company decided to promise a “fast and smooth” performance for four years.
This also covers the phone's battery health, which Liu says is essential when checking software update policies. “When our competitors announce that their software policy will last for seven years, remember that their phone battery may not work properly.,” he pointed out.
Pre-orders for OnePlus 12 are open, with the device hitting the open market on February 6. Meanwhile, the OnePlus 12R is available for pre-order until its launch date on February 13.
