If you’re using a Samsung Galaxy S10 smartphone, there is bad news for you. Your phone will no longer receive monthly security updates. The Korean brand has demoted the Galaxy S10e, Galaxy S10, and Galaxy S10+ to quarterly updates. The Galaxy S10 5G will continue to receive monthly updates though, at least for the time being.
The Galaxy S10 series drops to quarterly updates
Samsung released the Galaxy S10 trio in March 2019. As of March 2022, they completed three years in the market. So it’s not surprising that the devices will now receive security updates less frequently. The company does offer at least four years of security updates to all Galaxy smartphones and tablets launched in 2019 and beyond. But the frequency of those updates comes down as the device gets older.
Note that the Galaxy S10 5G arrived on the market in April 2019. So there’s one more month left before it turns three years old. We wouldn’t be surprised if Samsung drops it to quarterly updates next month. All Galaxy S10 models have already received their third and final Android OS update. Having debuted with Android 9 Pie, the Android 12-based One UI 4.1 is the last major feature update for them.
If you remember, Samsung recently revamped its software support policy for mobile devices. All flagship models launched in 2021 and beyond will receive four generations of Android OS updates and five years of security updates. The Galaxy S21, Galaxy S22, Galaxy Tab S8, Galaxy Z Fold 3, and Galaxy Z Flip 3 devices are eligible for this. Upcoming flagships will also receive this rock-solid software support from Samsung.
Unfortunately, the likes of the Galaxy S10 are out of luck. Come 2023 and these devices will reach their end-of-life. If you’re rocking any of the three Galaxy S10 models, you might want to upgrade to a newer device over the next year. Of course, the device will continue working. But it will not receive any security update, leaving it vulnerable to attacks.
The Galaxy A50 will also receive security updates less frequently
Alongside the Galaxy S10 series, Samsung has demoted the Galaxy A50 to quarterly security updates as well. This mid-ranger also arrived in March 2019 running Android 9 Pie. But unlike the Galaxy S10 trio, this phone was eligible for only two major Android OS updates. So the Android 11 update last year was the last one for it. Over the next year, it will only receive security updates once every three months before fading into oblivion.
2022-04-06 15:07:27