Samsung may end OS updates for older Galaxy Watch models
Samsung is facing increasing pressure regarding software sustainability for its Galaxy Watch series, as recent leaks suggest the company is considering ending OS update support for older models while maintaining security updates only.
Background on potential changes
According to the well-known tech leaker kro, Samsung is re-evaluating its update policy. Currently, the company commits to a support policy of up to 5 years of OS and security updates for recent models (starting from the Galaxy Watch 9), while models from the Galaxy Watch 4 to the Galaxy Watch 8 receive 4 years of OS updates and 5 years of security updates. The source did not specify exactly which models would be affected by this change if it is officially adopted.
Why does this news matter?
This trend comes in light of the ongoing struggles of Samsung watch users with recurring technical issues, including overheating, slow charging caused by thermal throttling, and performance problems following system updates. This has led to widespread dissatisfaction among users, especially with the appearance of recurring software bugs in models such as the Galaxy Watch 6 Classic and the Galaxy Watch Ultra.
Technical challenges and context
This news comes at a time when Samsung is attempting to address performance issues by shifting from its own Exynos processors to Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear Elite processors in newer versions. However, technical complaints regarding battery drain and boot errors persist, raising questions about whether Samsung is attempting to shed the burden of supporting devices that suffer from hardware limitations that cannot be resolved through software. So far, Samsung has not issued an official comment confirming or denying these changes, leaving owners of older watches in a state of anticipation regarding the future of their devices.