How Long Your Phone Stays Supported
The quiet number on the spec sheet that decides how many years your money really buys.
A phone that still works but no longer receives security patches is a risk for banking, email and anything holding personal data. Over time, some apps also stop supporting older Android versions. That makes the update promise one of the most important lines in our ledger — and one of the easiest to overlook.
Two kinds of update
Android version upgrades bring new features and design changes, for example moving from Android 15 to Android 16. Security updates fix vulnerabilities and are usually released monthly or every other month. A phone can stop getting version upgrades and still receive security patches for a few more years. For safety, the security date is the one that matters most.
The five promises, in order
3 years security · 1 Android upgrade
Motorola moto g power 5G (2025). The shortest promise here. Reasonable if you replace your phone every two to three years, less so if you hand phones down to family.
Multi-year, varies by region
Redmi Note 14 Pro 5G. Xiaomi publishes its update policy per region and model. Check the official Xiaomi support page for your country before you buy, and count from the launch date.
6 years security · 3 Android upgrades
CMF Phone 2 Pro. A strong commitment for a phone at this price, with Nothing's clean software on top.
6 years security · 6 Android upgrades
Samsung Galaxy A16 5G. Remarkable at around $199: the cheapest phone on our list also has one of the longest support windows.
7 years security · 7 years Android upgrades
Google Pixel 9a. The longest promise on the list, and Pixels receive updates directly from Google, typically on the day they are released.
Cost per supported year
A simple sum helps here: divide the price by the years of security support. Using approximate launch prices, the Galaxy A16 5G works out at about $33 a year, the CMF Phone 2 Pro at about $47, the Pixel 9a at about $71 and the moto g power 5G (2025) at about $100. The cheapest sticker price is not always the cheapest phone.
Of course, you only benefit if the hardware lasts too. A modest chip may feel slow before year six. That is why we weigh updates alongside the speed notes rather than on their own.
Buying an older model
Support is counted from the phone's launch, not from when you buy it. A discounted model that launched two years ago has two fewer years left. That can still be a good deal — just do the sum with the remaining years.
How to check your phone
On most Android phones, open Settings, then About phone or Security, and look for the "Android security update" date. If it is more than a few months old and no update is offered, your phone may be near the end of support. Each maker's official site lists supported models.
The ledger verdict on updates
If you plan to keep a phone for five years or more, the Galaxy A16 5G and Pixel 9a stand out, with the CMF Phone 2 Pro close behind. Short-term owners can safely consider the moto g power for its toughness. See every promise beside price in the ledger.