Samsung pushes old Galaxy owners toward 7-year updates

Samsung is making software support a sales pitch as some older Galaxy phones are set to miss One UI 9.0. In a fresh roundup highlighted by Gizmochina, the company effectively points buyers toward newer models that will stay current longer and continue receiving the next wave of Samsung’s AI features.

At the top of the list are the Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26+, and Galaxy S26 Ultra, each promised seven major Android updates. Samsung is also extending that long support window to its upcoming foldables, including the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, and Galaxy Z Flip 8.

For buyers outside the flagship tier, Samsung is still offering relatively long support on cheaper devices. The lineup mentioned by the source includes:

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• Galaxy S25 FE — 7 major Android updates
• Galaxy A57, A37, and A27 — 6 major Android updates
• Galaxy M47 and Galaxy A07 5G — 6 major Android updates

The Galaxy S26 family is listed with 120Hz AMOLED displays, brightness up to 2600 nits, Gorilla Glass Victus 2, and Android 16 out of the box, followed by seven major OS upgrades. Gizmochina separately points to the Galaxy S25 FE as a cheaper option that still nearly matches the flagships on support, with the same seven years of updates, a 4900mAh battery, 45W charging, and an LTPO AMOLED display.

One UI 9 and the next support divide

In Samsung’s foldable range, attention is on the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Galaxy Z Flip 8, which are expected to launch on July 22 and ship with One UI 9 immediately, without waiting for the public rollout.

That matters because One UI 9.0 will not reach every older Galaxy device. According to the source, that means some users will miss not only new features, but also face faster software aging compared with newer phones that still have years of Android releases ahead of them.

Samsung has spent the past few years turning update policy into one of its clearest competitive advantages. The company now offers seven OS upgrades on flagships and foldables, while giving six upgrades to parts of the Galaxy A line and some lower-cost models. Google has pushed long support on Pixel, and OnePlus has extended support on some devices, but Samsung is using the same policy across a broader span of price bands.

If Samsung keeps this approach, some new Galaxy models would be covered through at least Android 22 or Android 23, while future foldables could stretch to Android 24.