Why 5 Years of Smartphone Updates Is Now the Absolute Bare Minimum

I come from a generation of Android users who yearned for updates. Back then, buying a new phone wasn't just about upgrading hardware. It was the only way to get the new Android version. But those days are gone. Both hardware and software innovation have plateaued, and manufacturers have shifted their focus. The two-year upgrade cycle is dead. In 2026, buying a phone is no longer just about acquiring a gadget – it's about signing a service contract with the manufacturer.

For years, Apple was the undisputed king of longevity, leaving Android users to wish for even half of that software support lifespan. But that changed when Google dropped a bombshell with the Pixel 8, promising seven years of OS upgrades. Overnight, software support transformed from what was once a hidden spec into a headline feature. However, it matters more than you think. Here's why five years of updates is now the absolute bare minimum.

Consumers are holding on for longer

Due to reaching a point of diminishing returns in terms of hardware, the difference between the two flagship processors is negligible for 99% of users. Apps open instantly on any smartphone, the photos look great, and the general usability doesn't leave you wanting more, unless you're a nitpicker. The hardware ceiling has been hit, and innovation has shifted from leaps to incremental changes.

Because the hardware lasts, users no longer feel the need to upgrade every year or two. The hardware is generally good for three to four years at least, so it makes no sense to replace it. While giving more updates may feel counterintuitive for the business, manufacturers cannot defend the "my phone still works fine, so why" argument. Therefore, stopping updates or security patches would be a mistake by the brand, which would topple its reputation.

Paradoxically, promising longer updates is a brilliant sales tactic. While most users won't actually keep their phones until it disintegrates, they buy the peace of mind that they could. It creates a powerful mental safety net that "I'm investing in this phone because it will last until Android 25". That promise justifies the high price tag, convincing users to buy expensive phones, even if they end up trading them three years later anyway.

Justifying the rising costs of the phones

Phones have become expensive over the years, and this applies across different price ranges. In the last half a decade, we've seen capable phones under Rs 15,000 category evaporate into thin air. Phones with fewer trade-offs are usually reserved for the sub-Rs 25,000 price range and onwards, and this price range changes the fundamental math of ownership.

When you could pick up a solid performer for Rs 15,000, a two-year lifespan was forgivable. These phones were practically disposable. But as the baseline for a no-compromise experience pushes past Rs 25,000, the expectations must rise with it. If manufacturers are going to demand a premium upfront, they cannot treat software as an afterthought.

A Rs 30,000 phone that loses support in three years effectively costs you Rs 10,000 a year to own. That's a terrible value proposition. Extending the updates to five years balances it, turning an expensive purchase into a justifiable long-term investment. And in a price-sensitive market like India, it matters more than ever.

And that's why a five-year update promise is important in the mid-range segment too. The good news is, Samsung has demonstrated that it can be done with the Galaxy A16 5G, followed by brands like OnePlus and Poco, which recently upped the ante for their budget smartphones by promising over four years of updates.

Your banking app doesn't care about your megapixels

You might not care about the latest Android features. You might be okay with an old design element or missing out on the newest AI gimmicks. But apps care, especially banking apps. Your employer cares. After a friend reached out to me for a phone recommendation for his father because the SBI app no longer works on Android 13 or below smartphones, it put things in perspective for me about how apps can be affected due to a lack of updates from manufacturers.

Smartphones are our authentication keys, and they hold our precious info. Once a phone stops receiving security patches, it essentially becomes a liability. Banking apps will eventually flag the OS as outdated, refusing to run straightaway. Security is utilitarian.

A phone with a 200 MP camera but soon running out of support is just a high-resolution paperweight. In which case, five years is the minimum reliable window because it ensures the device remains at its full strength and fights back against bad actors trying to gain access to that precious data of yours.

The resale value cliff

I have been flipping smartphones as a side hustle, and I've noticed a massive shift in the used market. Buyers aren't just looking for good screens anymore. They are looking for longevity. They need a phone that remains relevant for four to five years. As a result, my strategy has changed. I now strictly target flagships that are less than two years old, because adding "updates till Android 25" in the listing is a bigger selling point than the camera specs.

This is the new reality. A phone with expired support is a paperweight. Compare that to a three-year-old iPhone, and it commands a high resale price specifically because the owner knows they still have 3+ years of support left. Short update cycles kill the used market. When a phone loses support quickly, it cannot be passed down to a child or sold to make back some money.

And that's where a 5-year policy creates a safety net that allows the phone to have a second life. The merits extend from making the money back to keeping the phone out of the landfill, and the latter is much more important for the world.

The spec war is dead, Long live the support war

The industry knows the hardware war is over. That is why brands have shifted to software features, which include countless AI gimmicks, but more importantly, a focus on longevity. After Google and Samsung upped the expectations by offering 7 years of updates, suddenly, longevity has become one of the most important on-paper specifications.

And to be fair to the brands, we cannot paint every price segment with the same brush. For starters, it would be unreasonable to demand 5 years of support from a sub-Rs 15,000 smartphone, because at that price, the margins are razor-thin. Therefore, for the ultra-budget category, shorter support cycles are a necessary compromise to keep the upfront cost low.

However, once you cross that price threshold, the excuses start to run dry. If a manufacturer is asking for premium or even mid-range money, they should be offering a premium timeline. Which brings us to laying out the number of updates offered by the brands right now.

The bottom line is, vote with your wallet. As demonstrated by the table above, the gap between every manufacturer is quite wide. In 2026, a great screen or a fast processor will be the standard baseline for every phone. The real differentiator, though, will be how the manufacturer respects your investment by providing updates.

A phone worth Rs 30,000 offering three years support, basically means that brand is selling you a pre-planned expiration date. However, the market landscape is changing rapidly, and it's important to not settle for anything less than five years of updates, unless you're buying an ultra affordable phone.

Therefore, when you buy your next phone, don't just look at the processor, the 200 MP camera or the AnTuTu score. Look at the software commitment. Because with phones getting expensive, the real long-term value of the same lies in its software commitment, not if you're forced to replace it two years too soon.