Samsung ends software updates for the last of the Galaxy S10 and Note 10 lines

Andrew Romero | Mar 5 2024 - 8:07 am PT

The last couple of years have seen Samsung increase its promise of security and Android updates for devices. The Galaxy Note 10 Lite and S10 Lite both have met that promise and will no longer receive updates.

Samsung’s latest flagship release, the Galaxy S24 series, has come with a guarantee of seven years of Android and security updates. That means from release day, the device will go through seven total generations of Android, theoretically ending on Android 21.

When the Galaxy Note 10 Lite and S10 Lite were released, Sasmung was still in its infancy when it came to promised Android update policy. Both devices were originally promised three years of Android updates and four years of security updates.

According to Samsung’s update schedule, the Galaxy Note 10 Lite and S10 Lite are both at the end of that road, marking the last model variants of the Note 10 and S10 line to receive updates, whether security or OS.

For the user, this means that it may be time to find another device in the near future that is currently receiving security updates. Security updates are important and address vulnerabilities that crop up regularly. Malicious threats are frequent, and having a device that’s kept up to date is important to ensure your personal data is as safe as it can be.

Being at the end of a three-year OS update guarantee feels odd now, as Samsung has normalized offering 5+ years of updates with every new phone that comes out, including midrange and budget devices. This recent shift prioritizes the ability to continue using your device as the years go by, and it makes OEMs accountable for maintaining a promised schedule of updates.

Unfortunately, the Note 10 Lite and S10 Lite were released at the lower end of that eventual ramp-up in update prioritization.