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Phone Software Update Policies: What Each Brand Promises in India

How many years of Android or iOS updates will your next phone get? What Samsung, Google, Apple, OnePlus, Xiaomi, Motorola and Nothing officially promise, and how to check a model.

Written by Lokesh Rathore 10-minute read

Seanomos Mobile buyer's guide card: How many years of updates will your phone get?

In short

Before you buy, look up two things for the exact model: how many Android or iOS version upgrades it will get, and the date its security patches stop. The official promises differ a lot. Google gives Pixel 8 and later seven years, and Samsung gives the Galaxy S25 series seven OS upgrades and seven years of security updates. OnePlus pledges at least three years of security updates, and Xiaomi says its phones typically get at least two. The countdown begins when the model launches, not when you buy it, so confirm the promise on the brand’s own page and check the phone’s patch date before you pay.

Spec sheets put cameras and processors up front, but the update promise decides how long a phone stays safe for UPI, banking apps and email. Here is what those promises mean, what the big brands sold in India say on their own pages, and how to check one model before you pay.

Jump to a section9 sections
  1. Why the number of update years matters
  2. OS upgrades and security patches are different things
  3. Monthly, bi-monthly or quarterly: how often patches arrive
  4. What each brand officially promises
  5. How to check a phone’s current patch level
  6. Checklist: confirm the promise for your model
  7. What happens when updates end
  8. FAQ
  9. Sources

Why the number of update years matters

People find new security holes in every phone long after it goes on sale. A security update closes them. Once the updates stop, any hole found later stays open for as long as you keep using that handset. Apple’s own update guide says that keeping your software up to date is one of the most important things you can do for your device’s security, and the same goes for Android.

  • Your phone stays useful for longer. If you keep a phone for four or five years, a two-year promise runs out halfway through.
  • New Android versions do not reach every phone. Google’s Android Help says plainly that older devices can’t always run newer Android versions.
  • It affects resale and hand-me-downs. Anyone buying your phone later, or a family member who inherits it, gets only the support time that is left. Our used phone checklist covers the other checks for a second-hand purchase.

OS upgrades and security patches are different things

An update promise usually has two parts, and buyers often mix them up, so read both numbers.

OS upgradeA move to a new major version, such as Android 16 to Android 17 or one iOS version to the next. It brings new features and design changes. Brands describe it as a count, for example “seven generations of OS upgrades” (Samsung) or “three Android updates” (Nothing).
Security updateA smaller update that fixes known vulnerabilities. On Android it carries a date called the security patch level, which Settings shows as Android security update. Brands describe it in years, for example “six years of security updates”.
How they overlapSecurity support often runs longer than OS upgrades. Nothing’s Phone (3a) series gets three Android updates but six years of security updates, so it keeps getting patches for some time after its last new Android version.
Wording taken from Samsung Newsroom and Nothing’s Indian product page, read in October 2026.

The small print adds two things to know. First, a big update can push back the regular patch: OnePlus warns that OS upgrades may delay that month’s security update, and Motorola says maintenance versions and OS upgrades can delay patch releases. Second, OnePlus and Xiaomi both say some patches from chip suppliers may not make it into the current month’s update and can arrive later.

Monthly, bi-monthly or quarterly: how often patches arrive

The number of years is half the promise. How often the patches come is the other half. Two phones can both be “supported”, but the one patched every month gets fixes sooner than the one patched every three months.

  • Samsung releases monthly, quarterly and biannual security updates and lists which Galaxy devices fall in each group on its security updates page. When we checked, the monthly list included the Galaxy S23, S24, S25 and S26 series, the Galaxy Z Fold5 to Z Fold8, the Z Flip5 to Z Flip8 and the Galaxy A56 5G. The quarterly list covered the Galaxy S22 series and most A, M and F models, including the Galaxy A26 5G, A36 5G, M36 5G and F36 5G. Samsung says the monthly list changes as support periods run out.
  • Motorola notes for most phones on its security update page that they will receive security updates at least bi-monthly, so at least once every two months. Some budget models, such as the moto g05 and moto g06, carry no such note.
  • Google Pixel updates roll out in stages, depending on your carrier and device, and Google says one can take a few weeks to reach your phone. Google lists the details of each fix in its Pixel security bulletins.

Tip: A new phone may have sat in a warehouse for months, so an old patch date out of the box is normal. Install pending updates during setup and check again. If a monthly-patch model still shows a date several months old, ask the seller or the brand why.

What each brand officially promises

For each brand below we read its own policy page, support page or product page. If a brand publishes no general rule for OS upgrades, the table says so, and you need to check the product page for your model. We left out vivo, OPPO and realme because we could not confirm an official policy page for them this time. For those brands, check the update details on the official product page.

BrandModels the policy coversOS upgradesSecurity updatesSource
SamsungGalaxy S25 seriesSeven generationsSeven years from global launchSamsung Newsroom, S25 launch
SamsungGalaxy A56 5G, A36 5G, A26 5GUp to six generations of Android OS and One UISix yearsSamsung Newsroom India, March 2025
GooglePixel 8 and later, including the a-series and Fold modelsSeven yearsSeven years from first availability on the US Google StorePixel Help
GooglePixel 6 and 7 series, Pixel FoldFive yearsFive years, on the same clockPixel Help
AppleiPhone 16 (model A3287, UK filing)No count publishedAt least five years from first supply on 20 September 2024Apple UK PSTI statement
OnePlusSmartphones and tabletsNot stated on the policy pageAt least three years after launchOnePlus PSTI page
Xiaomi, Redmi, POCOSmartphones and tabletsNot stated in the general policyTypically at least two years after first shipment; three years or more for some modelsXiaomi Security Center
MotorolaEach model listed separatelyNo count; the page shows the Android version each model launched on and its next oneA stop month for each model, e.g. motorola edge 60 fusion: March 2025 to March 2029; moto g05: December 2024 to December 2026Motorola Support (US)
NothingPhone (3a) seriesThree Android updatesSix years from first availability on the marketNothing India, Phone (3a) page
Read on the brands’ official pages in October 2026. Promises can change, so check again before you buy.

Some points that change how you read the table:

  • Each brand starts the clock at a different event. Google counts from when the Pixel first became available on the Google Store in the US. Samsung counts from global launch, Apple from first supply, Nothing from first availability on the market, Xiaomi from first shipment, and OnePlus from the product launch. None of them count from the day you buy.
  • The wording is cautious. Samsung says “up to” for the A series and notes that timing can vary by model, network provider and market. Motorola says its information is not a commitment and that support can differ by region and sales channel. The Motorola page we read is its US support site.
  • The Apple and OnePlus figures come from UK filings. They were published under the UK’s product security regulations (in force since 29 April 2024), which is why they state a firm minimum. We found no official Apple page that promises a set number of iOS upgrades.

How to check a phone’s current patch level

On Android

  1. Open Settings → About phone → Android version. Google’s Android Help says this screen shows the Android version, the Android security update date, the Google Play system update date and the build number.
  2. Check for anything waiting to install under Settings → System → Software updates.
  3. Menu names differ from brand to brand. If you can’t find the screen, type “security update” into the search bar at the top of Settings.

Google adds that update schedules vary by device, manufacturer and carrier, so for other brands, ask the maker about timing.

On an iPhone

  1. Open Settings → General → About to see which iOS version is installed.
  2. Go to Settings → General → Software Update to see whether a newer version is available, then tap Download and Install.
  3. Under Software Update → Automatic Updates, turn on Automatically Install. The iPhone then installs updates overnight while it is charging and on Wi-Fi.

Apple delivers security fixes inside its software releases, so the thing to compare on an iPhone is the version number, not a patch date.

Checklist: confirm the promise for your model

  1. Write down the exact model name. Similar names can have different promises. On Motorola’s list, the edge 50 (launched July 2024) gets security updates until July 2027, while the edge 50 fusion (launched April 2024) gets them until April 2028. On Samsung’s list, the Galaxy A56 5G is in the monthly group and the A36 5G is in the quarterly group.
  2. Open the brand’s own page, not a reseller listing. Use Samsung’s security updates page, Pixel Help, Motorola’s “Select your product” tab, Xiaomi’s Security Center with its EOL list and Product Software Support Information page, or the “Software support” section of a Nothing product page.
  3. Find the start date and work out how many years are left. If a model launched two years ago with a four-year promise, a new phone bought today has about two years left.
  4. Check how often it gets patches. Find out whether the model is on a monthly, bi-monthly or quarterly schedule, and weigh that alongside the number of years.
  5. Look at the phone itself. After setup, note the security patch date or iOS version and install any pending updates.
  6. Save a screenshot of the promise and its date. Policy pages get updated. A screenshot shows what the brand said when you bought the phone.

What happens when updates end

The phone does not stop working on the end date. Calls, the camera and apps carry on as before. The difference is that the maker stops fixing new security holes. The brands state this plainly:

  • Google lists the Pixel 5a and older models as no longer receiving Android version updates or security updates.
  • Xiaomi says it no longer maintains any software or firmware for models on its end-of-life (EOL) list, security updates included, and may stop answering vulnerability reports for them. It adds that it may still release a fix if a very serious flaw turns up.
  • Motorola says phones missing from its list no longer get security or OS updates.

Warning: Once the security updates stop, don’t use that phone as your main device for banking, UPI or work email. Keep its apps updated from the Play Store or Galaxy Store (Samsung says security fixes for its own apps come through those stores), avoid installing apps from unknown sources, and think about moving it to lighter duties such as a music player or a spare phone.

Our take

Treat the update promise as part of the spec sheet. Work out how many years you plan to keep the phone, then pick a model whose remaining security support runs past that date, counted from launch and checked on the brand’s own page. If two phones are otherwise close, the one with longer and more frequent patches will usually serve you better.

FAQ

Does the update period start on the day I buy the phone?

No. Every policy we read counts from a launch-related date: first availability, global launch, first supply or first shipment. So a phone that has been on sale for a year has a year less support than it did at launch, even when you buy it sealed.

My Android phone’s security patch is three months old. Is that a problem?

It depends on the model’s schedule. Samsung puts many Galaxy A, M and F phones in its quarterly group, so a patch date a few months old can be normal for them. Check Settings → System → Software updates (or your brand’s update menu) for anything pending, then compare the date with the schedule on the brand’s page.

How many years of updates does an iPhone get?

We found no official Apple page that promises a set number of iOS upgrades. Apple’s UK compliance statement for the iPhone 16 (model A3287) gives a minimum security support period of five years from its first supply date, 20 September 2024. To see which models a new iOS version supports, look for Apple’s compatibility page for that release.

Do phones sold in India get the same updates as elsewhere?

Not always at the same time. Samsung, OnePlus, Xiaomi and Motorola all say update timing can vary by market, region, model or network, and Motorola adds that the support cycle itself may differ by region and sales channel. Check the brand’s Indian page where one exists, and expect Indian units to get some updates a little earlier or later.

Sources

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Lokesh Rathore

Editor, Seanomos Mobile · owner of Mobivault, MP Nagar, Bhopal

Lokesh Rathore owns Mobivault, a phone shop in Zone 2, MP Nagar, Bhopal, and edits Seanomos Mobile. The problems customers bring to the shop, from OTPs that never arrive to phones that will not fast-charge, become the step-by-step guides on this site.

How this guide was made: Put together from official help pages and operator sources rather than a device test. AI tools helped with the draft; Lokesh Rathore checked each fact against those sources and approved it for publishing.

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