If autonomy, photo sensors, design or overall performance are decisive criteria in the purchase of an Android smartphone, another generally less well-known criterion is important: the software tracking policy adopted by the manufacturer. .
Indeed, before you go to checkout, it is important to know how long your smartphone will be kept up to date. important updates (related to the operating system) and security patches (this makes it possible to guarantee the best protection against hacking and possible security breaches).
In this area, every manufacturer has a own policy with a specific timeline. And unsurprisingly, while some brands are known for their seriousness, others have yet to make progress. Through this article, we will see together who are good and less good students in 2022 in terms of follow-up time and distribution sentiment. However, the follow-up time may vary depending on each manufacturer’s model. (the newest and most expensive smartphones are usually the best).
Android update: Which are the top manufacturers in 2022?
To make your research easier, we decided to proceed in alphabetical order. To create this selection, we rely on the data provided by the manufacturers as well as the specific site. AOSMark. this platformIt rates Android smartphone manufacturers by the number of OS updates they have made on their phones on average in the past. Scores range from 0 to 5, and a high score long-term support offered by the manufacturer.
asus
So we start with the Taiwanese manufacturer Asus, which is happy to offer the minimum recommended by Google. Namely, two major Android upgrades and two years of Android security patches. In terms of responsiveness, it usually takes two to three months for the brand to distribute OS updates. This was the case with the latest Zenfone 8 and Zenfone 8 Flip, for example. Launched under Android 11 at the end of May 2021, the two devices were migrated to Android 12 in January 2022, about three months after the stable version of the OS was released by Google. Note that in the TOP 20 manufacturer of the AOS Mark, Asus is ranked 19th with a rating of 0.1.
You won’t be surprised to learn that Google is among the top performers when it comes to tracking software. Happy though, the Mountain View firm is at the root of Android. The American company offered three years of Android updates and three years of security updates until the release of the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro.
However, since the distribution of its latest smartphones, the company has stepped up its security monitoring. Indeed, starting with the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro, the next Google Pixel smartphones will benefit from five years of security patches. However, keep in mind that in terms of responsiveness, the manufacturer is often overtaken by a particular Samsung, which it also absolutely dislikes. However, this situation is not systematic and the Google Pixel remains the fastest filling smartphones. Not surprisingly, Google took the first place in the AOS Mark ranking with a score of 1.8 out of 5.
Nokia/HMD
How about Nokia? The Finnish brand offers 4 years of security updates and 3 years of Android OS upgrades on its latest smartphones like the Nokia XR20. As part of the Android One program, Nokia smartphones benefit from at least 2 years of operating system software monitoring. However, the company ranks 14th in the AOS Mark ranking. Reason ? There have been many delays in the distribution of the latest Android security patches. Recently, the brand established a private web page For more information on the update distribution plan for each smartphone.
Honour
As you know, the former subsidiary of Huawei has gained its independence since November 2020. In May 2021, and after months of negotiations with Google, Honor was given permission to mark the Play Store and all Google apps on its devices the same. Android’s turnaround time. In March 2022, the brand also took a hard hit with the Honor Magic 4 Pro, an excellent quality high-end photophone. Regarding software monitoring, Honor promises 2 years of major updates and 2 years of security patches. The manufacturer is not in the TOP 20 of the best manufacturers of AOS Mark. It must be said that the brand is satisfied with the bare minimum.
Motorola’s
Motorola may be one of the most popular manufacturers in the United States, but it’s not for software tracking quality. Indeed, for its high-end devices like the Motorola Edge+, which launched in 2022, the brand only offers two years of major updates and three years of bimonthly security updates. Things get worse for older models, which have to make do with two major Android updates and biennial security patches. And again, this policy is only about high-level peers.
OnePlus
Despite its affiliation with Oppo and the combination of OxygenOS skin with ColorOS, OnePlus remains in the list of manufacturers that offer excellent software tracking. In 2021, the Chinese brand changed its update policy to put itself at the level of the competition. So all high-end models released since 2018 get three years of major Android updates and four years of security updates. However, please note that this policy does not apply to OnePlus Nord and Nord CE, which only benefit from two major OS updates and three years of security patches. With a single Android update and 3 years of security patches, watch time gets even shorter on the entry-level Nord N series. The company is ranked 6th in the AOS Mark ranking.
SAMSUNG
The South Korean company can boast of offering the best monitoring software. And rightfully so, the firm even surpasses Google in this area. As a matter of fact, Samsung announced in February 2022 that the manufacturer will now offer 4 years of Android updates and 5 years of security patches on its latest smartphones such as the Galaxy S22, Galaxy S21 FE or Galaxy Z Fold. 3. This new policy makes Samsung the king of Android software tracking right now. For other devices, we use four major Android updates and four years of security patches.
Xiaomi
In 2021, Xiaomi decided to change its software tracking policy. Since then, the Chinese company has committed to providing four years of security updates and three years of major Android updates. But be careful, follow-up time differs between models (the newest benefits from the longest follow-up). For example, all Redmi devices will receive one or two major Android updates, while Redmi Note and Mi smartphones will receive two to three major updates. Finally, all flagships of the Xiaomi 12 and 12 Pro will receive three major OS updates and four years of security updates.
Solution
As you can see, in the software tracking space, Google, Xiaomi and Samsung remain the most serious brands in terms of tracking time and responsiveness. Of course, we recommend choosing priority for devices that benefit from a long-term follow-up (OS and security combined).
