How long does Samsung support their Galaxy tablets software update?

[Jude526]

I had an update in this tablet. Just last week

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[Hurrycanejohn]

I had an update in this tablet. Just last week

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Was it a security update or what? Have you noticed anything new after the update or was it just background stuff?

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[Bryant Laney]

I had an update as well it was just security and background stuff.

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[AnIronButterfly]

IF this is how they roll with the tablets, I wonder if I should put my S2 WiFi tablet on Swappa or Ebay and just be done with it?

 

[dryja123]

IF this is how they roll with the tablets, I wonder if I should put my S2 WiFi tablet on Swappa or Ebay and just be done with it?

Is it still working with the current software?

 

[AnIronButterfly]

Yeah...it's working. I just get tired of companies NOT supporting their tablets. That's my issue.
Sell it while it's semi-worth something.Save the money toward my next phone/upgrade and go
from my Galaxy S6, back to a phablet.

 

[RichBrown68]

It seems to me like people just prefer the idea of the latest update, but when they really think about it, not seeing much practical difference. I remember a couple of years ago, Google announced that rather than updating all of their system apps at the same time as the new version of Android, they would just update things individually, and that would have the same effect as us getting the newest stuff on a more regular basis. Android fans Rejoice because it meant the version updates or not as important now. Yet here we are, people still whining about not getting the latest update even though it usually just amounts to a few different animations and maybe one semi important feature. If you have marshmallow on your phone, ask yourself, how often do you really use Google Now on tap? Yet that was the big feature for marshmallow. And so now we're all wondering why we can't get Android and what are Samsung tablets, even though the big features are split screen multitasking cama and expanded settings, both things we already have thanks to TouchWiz

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[AnIronButterfly]

Marshmallow would be great, but I'd rather have those Google issued security patches in a timely manner.
That's my gripe.

 

[anon(7901790)]

How many years should I expect? Nexus usually gets 2 to 3 years of support. What about Samsung Galaxy tablets? I really like the S2 9.7, but I am afraid it won't be supported for more than 1 year.

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Generally most OEMs usually go 2 years until EOL on their respective devices. It started rolling out in the UK for the 9.7" last week and the 8.0" this week. So give it some time to reach the US.

Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow Update Now Available for Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 Users In UK

Most Samsung devices are DOA when it comes to software support. We may see Marshmallow on it, but that's where it'll probably stop--regardless of any new bugs that marshmallow brings.

Hmmm... Evidence?

 

[itsnotmeitsyou]

Hmmm... Evidence?

Have you not owned a Samsung device before? Look at the S6 and Note 5. They just got Marshmallow, a year after it was released. It will probably be the last update those devices see.The Tab S2 doesn't even have the theme store or even the new Samsung browser. It's been the same song and dance for years. Buy a Samsung device for what it is, because you will be lucky to see any major updates and more than likely will not get any new software features that come out.

 

[dryja123]

Have you not owned a Samsung device before? Look at the S6 and Note 5. They just got Marshmallow, a year after it was released. It will probably be the last update those devices see.The Tab S2 doesn't even have the theme store or even the new Samsung browser. It's been the same song and dance for years. Buy a Samsung device for what it is, because you will be lucky to see any major updates and more than likely will not get any new software features that come out.

I bought my Samsung device because of the fact that it worked and it worked very well.

I've had several, non Samsung tablets, that had several bugs after software updates. As long as this tablet works just the way it does I'll be perfectly happy. I'll trade smooth flawless operation over a theme store any day.

 

[itsnotmeitsyou]

I bought my Samsung device because of the fact that it worked and it worked very well.

I've had several, non Samsung tablets, that had several bugs after software updates. As long as this tablet works just the way it does I'll be perfectly happy. I'll trade smooth flawless operation over a theme store any day.

Am I missing something? Who said anything about Samsung devices not working? I said that they have very poor software support after release--I never said anything about them not working fine out of the box.

 

[anon(7901790)]

Have you not owned a Samsung device before? Look at the S6 and Note 5. They just got Marshmallow, a year after it was released. It will probably be the last update those devices see.The Tab S2 doesn't even have the theme store or even the new Samsung browser. It's been the same song and dance for years. Buy a Samsung device for what it is, because you will be lucky to see any major updates and more than likely will not get any new software features that come out.

Yes, several actually. A Galaxy Nexus, Note II, Galaxy Tab 10.1, Galaxy Note Tab 10.1, and all were updated.

Samsung does update is devices. Considering that Marshmallow factory builds were not released until Oct 2015, and the Galaxy S7 is new.

The S6 was released in May 2015 a WHOLE 5 months prior to the factory release of Marshmallow. Since the S6 is NOT a Nexus device it won't get updated first.

Oh and the factory builds are for the OEMs. The OEMs then put their respective skins (I.e. Touchwiz for Samsung), and OEM specific apps, then they have to test to make sure everything works. In the case of devices with LTE/GSM/CDMA they have to also get carrier approval. Then they have to fix any issues that crop up in testing, put together a new build and test again.

Meanwhile, Samsung also has to plan when and where to start the OTA roll out for its WiFi only devices. They have to do that for ALL devices slated for the update.

Once the update starts it has to monitor the roll out, and adjust as needed so it won't bring down the OTA servers.

This doesn't all just magically happen. It takes time and planning. Roll it out too soon, then Samsung runs the risk of damaging people's devices or bricking them. Roll it out to too many devices at once then it runs the risk of crashing it's update servers.

You also have to consider the marketing side. Samsung makes money on NEW device sales. So, it wants to get the new devices out first before updating older devices.

So to say that Samsung devices are DOA for updates upon release is patently false.

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[anon(7901790)]

Marshmallow would be great, but I'd rather have those Google issued security patches in a timely manner.
That's my gripe.

Amen!

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[itsnotmeitsyou]

Yes, several actually. A Galaxy Nexus, Note II, Galaxy Tab 10.1, Galaxy Note Tab 10.1, and all were updated.

Samsung does update is devices. Considering that Marshmallow factory builds were not released until Oct 2015, and the Galaxy S7 is new.

The S6 was released in May 2015 a WHOLE 5 months prior to the factory release of Marshmallow. Since the S6 is NOT a Nexus device it won't get updated first.

Oh and the factory builds are for the OEMs. The OEMs then put their respective skins (I.e. Touchwiz for Samsung), and OEM specific apps, then they have to test to make sure everything works. In the case of devices with LTE/GSM/CDMA they have to also get carrier approval. Then they have to fix any issues that crop up in testing, put together a new build and test again.

Meanwhile, Samsung also has to plan when and where to start the OTA roll out for its WiFi only devices. They have to do that for ALL devices slated for the update.

Once the update starts it has to monitor the roll out, and adjust as needed so it won't bring down the OTA servers.

This doesn't all just magically happen. It takes time and planning. Roll it out too soon, then Samsung runs the risk of damaging people's devices or bricking them. Roll it out to too many devices at once then it runs the risk of crashing it's update servers.

You also have to consider the marketing side. Samsung makes money on NEW device sales. So, it wants to get the new devices out first before updating older devices.

So to say that Samsung devices are DOA for updates upon release is patently false.

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I know how updates work. I've owned every Samsung device since the Vibrant. Like I've said, you will likely only see one major update on a Samsung device. It's common knowledge that Samsung is one of the worst/slowest when it comes to software updates. However, the S7 has been much better. I already have the May security patch on my Tmobile variant. Let's hope this signifies a change in the right direction.

 

[anon(7901790)]

I know how updates work. I've owned every Samsung device since the Vibrant. Like I've said, you will likely only see one major update on a Samsung device. It's common knowledge that Samsung is one of the worst/slowest when it comes to software updates. However, the S7 has been much better. I already have the May security patch on my Tmobile variant. Let's hope this signifies a change in the right direction.

It's not being slow. It's how device release matches up with OS/firmware release. If the life cycle of a given product is only two years, and a major update is once a year, then yes you will see only one MAJOR update during that device's life cycle.

The Apr (for Lollipop) and May (for Marshmallow) were not major OS updates just security updates. A "dot of a dot of a dot" update. I went from 5.1 to 5.1.1; not a major update by any stretch of the imagination. Obtw, Samsung was pretty quick to push out the security update, within a few weeks of it being published by Google.

So please stop trying to compare a major OS version update (i.e. Lollipop to Marshmallow) to a bug fix/security update like the April and May updates were.

P.S. Phones are going to get updated before tablets because more people own phones than tablets.

 

[itsnotmeitsyou]

It's not being slow. It's how device release matches up with OS/firmware release. If the life cycle of a given product is only two years, and a major update is once a year, then yes you will see only one MAJOR update during that device's life cycle.

The Apr (for Lollipop) and May (for Marshmallow) were not major OS updates just security updates. A "dot of a dot of a dot" update. I went from 5.1 to 5.1.1; not a major update by any stretch of the imagination. Obtw, Samsung was pretty quick to push out the security update, within a few weeks of it being published by Google.

So please stop trying to compare a major OS version update (i.e. Lollipop to Marshmallow) to a bug fix/security update like the April and May updates were.

P.S. Phones are going to get updated before tablets because more people own phones than tablets.

Didn't I just say that the updates have been better with these latest security patches? No matter how you look at it, Samsung phones have been known to be way late on receiving updates. How many manufacturers released the Marshmallow update to their 2016 flagships before Samsung?

 

[anon(7901790)]

Didn't I just say that the updates have been better with these latest security patches? No matter how you look at it, Samsung phones have been known to be way late on receiving updates. How many manufacturers released the Marshmallow update to their 2016 flagships before Samsung?

Samsung was not that slow. Marshmallow started rolling out to the GS6 (Sprint) and Note 5 (Verizon) back in March. With beta releases going out as early as Feb.

Android 6.0 Marshmallow update roundup

The only OEMs that pushed out Marshmallow before the end of 2015 were LG (Oct/Nov), Motorola (Nov/Dec), and Huawei (Nov/Dec). The rest of the big OEMs started pushing out Marshmallow in the Feb/Mar/Apr time frame...Samsung among them.

So again, where is your "evidence" that Samsung is "notorious" for not supporting its devices with updates or is "the worst" when it comes to updating its devices?

I don't count Nexus/Android One devices, because they are supposed to get faster updates anyway.

 

[anon(7901790)]

@myrcgarage - Comparing a Nexus/Android One device to a non-Nexus/Android One device is like comparing an apple to an orange as far as software updates. Nexus and Android One devices are "pure" Android devices with no OEM added skins (i.e. Samsung TouchWiz or HTC Sense) and originally targeted toward users that were not afraid to root their devices to install custom ROMs.

They don't go through the same update cycle as OEM devices such as the Tab S2 or Galaxy S7. Does that make sense?

 

[RichBrown68]

Have you not owned a Samsung device before? Look at the S6 and Note 5. They just got Marshmallow, a year after it was released. It will probably be the last update those devices see.The Tab S2 doesn't even have the theme store or even the new Samsung browser. It's been the same song and dance for years. Buy a Samsung device for what it is, because you will be lucky to see any major updates and more than likely will not get any new software features that come out.

I feel I have to correct you on this. Marshmallow did not come out until October of last year. That means Samsung's flagship devices got it six months after release. Is that too long? Perhaps. But it does this prove two things you said in your note. First you said you'll be lucky to ever get an update from Samsung, second you said it would be a year later if you ever did get it. Keep in mind these Samsung flagships have marshmallow, but according to google statistics today comma 90% of Android phones don't have it. That means the Samsung Flagship phones have the latest version of Android whereas 90% of Android phones do not.

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