When purchasing an expensive smartphone, one of the first questions that comes to mind is how long the company will offer software updates. Android manufacturers typically offer less software support than iPhones, but they are pretty clear about their update policy. While Apple has never clarified how many years of software and security updates iPhones will get, iOS-powered phones are known to get more updates than their Android counterparts.
According to the UK Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure (PTSI) regulation that came into effect in April, companies that manufacture or sell IoT devices have to clarify how long a product will get security updates. And since Apple iPhones are connected to the internet, they also fall under the category of IoT-enabled devices.
In its recent compliance statement to the UK’s regulatory body, it is to be understood that Apple said the iPhone 15 series will get at least five years of security updates from the “first supply date.” For the uninitiated, the “first supply date” for phones in the iPhone 15 series is September 22, 2023, the day the phone was available for purchase.
This means Apple officially confirmed to the UK government that the iPhone 15 series will get security updates until September 22, 2028. Compared to the recent flagship phones from Samsung and Google, both of which promise seven years of security patches, Apple falls behind. However, the tech giant has had a long history of rolling out updates for older devices.
It is also important to note that Samsung only offers two to three years of security updates for its budget smartphones. When it comes to Google, the seven-year security update policy is applicable only for the Google Pixel 8 series owners, earlier devices will still get five years of updates.
The article originally appeared on Indian Express.