Sustainable smartphones: who is a good student when it comes to updates?
A smartphone is a purchase usually not to be taken lightly, especially if you invest some money in being able to buy a high-end model. It’s therefore natural to expect that this precious device will last for a few years. Here are the brands that offer the most durable smartphones according to one important criterion: tracking updates.
The durability of a smartphone lies in its ability to retain its full functionality and remain operational and efficient for many years. Several criteria play a role in extending the life of a mobile device. The materials used obviously matter, and generally the more high end you go, the more sure you are of getting a model that will last. But you also have to be able to count on its repairability, ease of replacement, especially certain parts like screens or batteries, which are most susceptible to wear and tear over time. Then there’s another criterion that shouldn’t be overlooked when looking to make the switch to a durable smartphone, this time at the software level: monitoring updates.
Tracking updates, important criteria
You did it, perhaps, without even knowing what it really is and what is the purpose of updating your smartphone. However, it is very important, because it makes it possible to update and offer a more pleasant user experience that is compatible with the latest innovations from manufacturers. And everything is more important in terms of security, it is often possible to fix bugs or even fix flaws. Also, you won’t be off the hook, new updates are offered regularly. But what’s most interesting to us here are the so-called “major” updates, which are new versions of the operating systems that power mobile devices. This is implemented once a year: at Apple, for example, we’ve gone from iOS 15 which arrived in September 2021 to iOS 16 available since September 2022, when on the Android side, Google’s OS that runs most of the other smartphones on the market, Android 13 started rolling out late last year to replace Android 12, which was released the previous year.
Why is this major update a criterion to consider when assessing the durability of a smartphone? Pretty simple because when a model is no longer compatible with the latest version of its operating system, it becomes obsolete. And you should know that it’s not just Apple and Google that have control over tracking updates, but each manufacturer. While logically the Apple brand determines each year which iPhones remain compatible with the latest version of iOS, on the Android side it’s therefore Samsung, Xiaomi and others who choose how many major updates their models are entitled to. And some try harder than others…
Number of years of tracking updates by brand
Fairphone was first in class, with seven years of follow-up! Indeed, the Fairphone 2 released in 2015 is also entitled to the updates that the manufacturer offers in 2022, as we remind you Androids. Note, however, that the brand, known for its eco-friendly smartphones made from recycled materials and highly repairable, is a bit behind… If it keeps updating its old model, it’s with the old one. OS Version: Fairphone 2 receives update to Android 10 last March. The latest Fairphone 4, released under Android 11, should remain compatible at least until Android 15.
He Apple which takes over the rating, with current updates for five years. This durability allows the iPhone 8 released in 2017 to remain relevant as it is compatible with iOS 16, which was launched last September with the arrival of the iPhone 14. Note that the Apple brand has become stronger in the past, since the iPhone 6s released in 2015 is still compatible with iOS 15 , used in 2021: Apple will offer it a six-year follow-up.
by his side, Samsung promised last year to now offer four years of follow-up for high-end smartphones, which makes it an excellent student on the part of Android manufacturers. The latest Galaxy S22 is currently affected, but so are its predecessors in the Galaxy S21 series, as well as the folding models Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip, the third and fourth names. A decision that has been emulated, ever sinceOPPO and One plus recently announced that they have, in turn, committed to following up on four years of major updates for their high-end smartphones.
It means Google, to whom we owe the famous Android operating system, is now lagging behind. Indeed, the Mountain View company has only offered three years of updates for its latest Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 series. The same goes for high-end brand models. Xiaomi and long live. And finally, among the worst students, we find Realme and Motorola, which only offer two years of major Android updates on their smartphones.
Source : Androids
