Samsung’s Cheap Phones Might Soon Get the Same Android Love as Flagships—Finally

When it comes to flagship smartphones, Samsung has been the king of long-term Android support. Take the  Galaxy S24 series , for example—these bad boys launched in early 2024 with an insane  seven years  of software updates. Seven. Years. And if you thought only the big spenders with foldables like the  Galaxy Z Fold 6  and  Z Flip 6  got the same deal, you might want to hold onto your budget phones a little tighter. Word on the street is that Samsung might be cooking up something similar for their cheaper models.

Yep, according to a juicy report from  TheTechOutlook  (via SamMobile), Samsung is prepping to throw us a bone by extending long-term software support to its  budget and mid-range Galaxy A-series  devices. That’s right—*not* just for those shiny flagships anymore.

Enter the Galaxy A16 5G: Cheap, But Here for the Long Haul

Leading this charge is the  Galaxy A16 5G , expected to drop by the end of the month, possibly alongside the  Galaxy Tab S10 series . And if the rumors are true, this little budget device is going to surprise a lot of people. According to the leaks, the Galaxy A16 5G will get a whopping  six years of OS upgrades and security patches . Six. Years. For a  budget phone . That’s basically unheard of in Android land, where most cheap devices are lucky if they get even  three years  of updates.

This bombshell comes from some leaked slides shared with Samsung’s sales reps during training, which makes it sound pretty legit. If this is true, the A16 5G would instantly become one of the  most supported budget Android phones  on the market.

Will We See It in the U.S.?

As for whether this gem is headed to the U.S., nothing’s confirmed yet, but all signs point to “probably.” Since the  Galaxy A15 5G  made its way stateside, it wouldn’t be shocking if the A16 5G follows suit. And with specs like a  6.7-inch AMOLED  display,  90Hz refresh rate ,  IP54 dust and water resistance , and the  5nm Exynos 1330 processor , this thing could be a solid option for folks who want a cheap but capable smartphone.

Samsung’s Strategy: Leveling Up the Budget Game

Let’s be honest: one of the reasons people avoid budget phones is because the software experience is usually garbage. Slow updates, clunky performance, and a ticking clock on how long your phone’s actually supported—it’s not a great combo. But Samsung’s move here could totally flip the script, offering  long-term support  on a device that doesn’t break the bank.

Imagine picking up a budget phone that you *don’t* have to toss after a couple of years. Now, that’s game-changing. And if Samsung can make this work, they might just nudge other Android manufacturers to step up their game instead of stuffing their phones with useless preloaded bloatware. (Yeah, we’re looking at you,  insert random OEM here .)

TL;DR: A Cheaper Phone With Long-Term Love

Samsung’s decision to potentially offer up to  six years  of updates on the Galaxy A16 5G is a baller move. It’s smart, it’s consumer-friendly, and honestly, it’s about time someone did it for the budget crowd. No longer will you have to choose between a cheap phone and decent software support. If Samsung pulls this off, other brands better take notes—or risk getting left in the dust.

So, will the  Galaxy A16 5G  be the budget phone of the year? It’s too early to tell, but one thing’s for sure—if long-term software support is what you’ve been waiting for, Samsung’s about to make your day.