Your phone can have the highest-end features possible, but it leaves much to be desired if it doesn’t run the latest software. Software updates are one aspect where iPhones have always trumped Android, with iOS devices being supported for as long as seven or eight years on average. For a long time, Android manufacturers only guaranteed two to three OS updates.
Samsung attempted to bridge the gap by offering four major software updates and five years of security updates for Galaxy devices. Although OnePlus makes a similar commitment, its policy seems limited totop-of-the-line OnePlus phoneslaunched in 2023 and beyond. Older devices are not included in the schedule. Regardless of when it launched, this article tells you how many updates your OnePlus device will get.
OnePlus 11
TheOnePlus 11launched in February 2023, presenting the best Android experience OnePlus offers. It boasts several flagship features and costs $700, which undercuts the big players like Samsung and Google.
The smartphone is the first, and currently, the only device to benefit from OnePlus’s new update policy announced in November 2022. The policy promises four major Android updates and five years of security updates delivered every two months. Since the OnePlus 11 launched with Android 13 out of the box, you can expect it to receive updates through Android 17 and remain secure for an extra year. This should put it on par with Samsung’s update schedule and above Google’s commitment to three of OS updates and five years of security updates.
OnePlus hasn’t exactly mentioned which phones will be included in the schedule. It seems only flagship devices will get up to four years of updates, as indicated by the exclusion of the OnePlus 11R, which launched alongside the 11.
OnePlus 11R
Earlier reports suggested that the OnePlus 11R would get a similar update length as the OnePlus 11. However, the company made a turnaround, clarifying that the device won’t be added to the new schedule. Hence, it should get three years of major OS updates and four years of security updates. If you own one, you can expect it to end its run on Android 16.
OnePlus 10T and OnePlus 10 Pro
Like the OnePlus 11R, last year’sOnePlus 10TandOnePlus 10 Proare expected to get three major Android version upgrades and four years of security updates, taking them from Android 12 to Android 15. The OnePlus 10 Pro launched in March 2022 but left a lot to be desired with the polarizing software, hit-and-miss camera, and $900 launch price. The OnePlus 10T was a better deal at $650 and marked a return to the flagship origins of the company.
Other devices expected to get three OS upgrades and four years of security updates include the following:
OnePlus Pad
Although not as prominent as the brand’s smartphones, the OnePlus Pad, which launched in April 2023, is expected to receive three years of major Android OS updates and four years of security updates.
OnePlus Nord 2T and OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite
TheOnePlus Nord 2Twas released in July 2022 to compete with theGoogle Pixel 6aandSamsung Galaxy A53. While it holds its own in the hardware department, it’s below par in terms of software updates. You only get two major OS updates, from Android 12 to 14, and three years of security patches. Meanwhile, the Pixel 6a will receive three updates, while the Galaxy A53 is promised four years of updates.
The cheaper OnePlus Nord CE 2 Lite, which launched in April 2022, will also get two major Android updates from 12 to 14 and three years of security patches. Meanwhile, theNord CE 2, released in February 2022, has already had two years of updates from Android 11 to Android 13. It won’t get any more OS updates, but it’s still eligible for security updates.
OnePlus Nord N300
OnePlus has only committed to one OS upgrade and two years of security updates for the OnePlus Nord N300. The device launched in November 2022 with Android 12 out of the box. It already received Android 13 and is eligible for an extra year of security updates.
What to expect for your OnePlus device
The OnePlus 11 is the only phone that guarantees four Android OS upgrades and five years of security updates. Flagship devices from the OnePlus 8 series to the OnePlus 10 series, the OnePlus 11R, and the OnePlus Pad are expected to get three OS updates and four years of security updates. Finally, the mid-range Nord and Nord CE phones are set for two Android version upgrades and three years of security patches, while the Nord N series gets only a single OS upgrade and two years of security patches.
While the new update policy is impressive, it seems to be reserved for flagship devices. This is miles behind Samsung, which offersfour major OS updates and five years of security patchesfor its tablets, Galaxy S-series, Galaxy Z-series, and several Galaxy A-series phones.
