Samsung’s Galaxy A16 5G has been leaked several times, but the company has now made it official. While it offers decent upgrades at an affordable price compared to the Galaxy A15, the most notable feature is its software support. The Galaxy A16 5G is set to receive up to six major Android OS updates, a first for its class.
First Budget Phone with Six Full Android OS Upgrades
Google set the trend for extended software support when it launched the Pixel 8 series, offering seven years of updates. Samsung has matched this with the Galaxy S24 series, including the Galaxy S24 FE (review).
Now, Samsung is going even further by announcing that the budget Galaxy A16 5G will get six years of full Android updates, surpassing Google and other manufacturers in long-term support for affordable devices. Priced at €249 (~$273) in most of Europe, this makes the Galaxy A16 5G the cheapest phone with such a policy, extending support until 2030.
The Galaxy A16 5G also outshines many flagship phones in terms of software support. For example, the OnePlus 12 (review) is only slated to get four years of updates, while the Xiaomi 14T Pro (review) is expected to receive updates until 2029. The A16 5G even beats the iPhone, which typically receives around five years of iOS updates and security patches.
However, there’s a catch—Samsung has noted that this extended software support is “subject to change,” so it might get fewer Android OS upgrades than what was originally promised.
Despite this, Samsung’s commitment is a significant improvement compared to most budget phones, which usually only offer three years of Android updates or less.
It will also be interesting to see if Samsung extends hardware support, such as by including the Galaxy A16 5G in its self-repair program with access to replacement parts.
More Rugged and Feature-Rich than the Galaxy A15 5G
The Galaxy A16 5G is already available in many markets, including India and Europe, and is expected to launch in the USA soon. Externally, it has a similar design to the Galaxy A15 5G but comes with a larger 6.7-inch AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate. It also features IP54 dust and water resistance, making it more rugged than its predecessor.
Under the hood, it’s powered by either the Exynos 1330 or MediaTek 6300 chipset (depending on the region), paired with 4 GB or 8 GB of RAM. The camera setup includes a 50MP main sensor, a 5MP ultrawide, and a 2MP macro camera. The front-facing 13MP camera remains unchanged from the previous model.
What are your thoughts on brands offering extended software support for budget smartphones? We’d love to hear your opinion!
