Vivo promises three years of Android updates but look at the big asterisk - Android

Lately, a lot of smartphone manufacturers have laid stress on long-term software updates to extend the shelf lives of their products. In the Android universe, it is Samsung who has promised and delivers on it for its older phones for three years. Oppo recently joined the list to promise three years of OS updates to […]

The post Vivo promises three years of Android updates but look at the big asterisk appeared first on BGR India.

Lately, a lot of smartphone manufacturers have laid stress on long-term software updates to extend the shelf lives of their products. In the Android universe, it is Samsung who has promised and delivers on it for its older phones for three years. Oppo recently joined the list to promise three years of OS updates to its flagships. Vivo is now the latest entrant of this club after its latest announcement.

The company has now confirmed to provide three years of OS updates for its flagship X series of phones. However, there’s a catch – only upcoming X series phones are eligible to get the three years of software support. All X series models launched after July 2021 will get the promised three years of update, both OS and security. It will be applicable for users in India, Europe and Australia.

Vivo promises three OS upgrades

“Featuring top of the line hardware, the X series flagship phones are built to last – and we want to make sure that our customers get software support that lives up to their expectations,” said Yujian Shi, Senior Vice President and CTO of Vivo. “We always innovate with the user in mind. With this pledge, we are making a promise to our customers that they will be able to enjoy a premium smartphone experience for an extended period and continue to benefit from the latest software features.”

That said, existing X series phones will continue to get security updates as promised earlier. This leaves this year’s X60 series owners and last year’s X50 series owners hanging. Additionally, the countless V and Y series owners are left out of the update consideration.

Do note that Vivo uses two different versions of its custom Android skins in different markets. In global markets, including India, the phones continue to come with the older FunTouchOS. Phones launched in China get the newer OriginOS with a better interface layout. Hence, it remains to be seen whether the promised three OS upgrades are restricted to Chinese devices or applicable all across the globe.

The Vivo X60 series launched in India a few months ago as the company’s flagship and it is strange to see Vivo leaving these new phones out of support soon. BGR India reviewed the Vivo X60 Pro and was left impressed with its cameras, performance, design and battery life.