Repeatedly: Samsung stops update support for three popular smartphones. Not only are they no longer receiving new Android versions, they are also no longer taken into account when it comes to vulnerabilities. Here's what affected customers should do.
From now on: Three popular Samsung mobile phones will no longer receive updates
Samsung has developed an excellent reputation for updates over the past few years. This means that updates are delivered for a much longer time than usual with the competition. They are also usually one of the first manufacturers to bring a new Android update to their users. But even at Samsung it will end at some point. Three smartphones will not receive updates in the future.
Samsung Galaxy A51 and Co: No more updates
Among others, the Samsung Galaxy A51 is affected. This is the most popular cell phone for our readers in 2020 and is a widely sold model in this country. The mid-range smartphone hit the markets in March 2020 with the Android 10 operating system. At that time, two major Android updates and four years of security patches were promised. Samsung later upped the ante and increased the update promise to three major Android updates. The Galaxy A51 is still receiving Android 13. However, Android 14 is no longer available. From now on there will be no more security updates.
Its cheaper sister model, the Samsung Galaxy A41 and less popular Galaxy M01, are also affected. There will be no more updates for these two smartphones in the future. Samsung had already stopped providing updates for many other smartphones from 2020 in February. These phones include the Galaxy A11, A31, A71, A71 5G, A02, M11, M21, and M31. This is also the end for some smartwatches.
What can affected customers do?
If the smartphone no longer receives Android updates, the user will simply have to do without new functions. At some point, some applications will stop working. However, most apps have remained compatible with older Android versions for years.
However, the situation is different if there are no security updates. It is published monthly by Google and made available to device manufacturers such as Samsung. If they are not delivered regularly, for example because a smartphone has reached the end of its support period, there are security risks. You should avoid installing applications from unknown sources and visiting unknown websites. Recovering sensitive data, such as online banking, on a smartphone with outdated security updates isn't the best idea.
However, Samsung is one of the few manufacturers that regularly offers these important security updates. With other manufacturers, users often wait months to get an update, even on existing smartphones.
Google has started distributing many updates directly through the Play Store and bypassing manufacturers. They are usually offered for at least three years after the Android version is released. Samsung's Galaxy A51 will also receive these updates for at least a year and a half. However, users of this smartphone will have to slowly look for a new model.
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