No-name Android phones at $149 get one or two OS updates before the manufacturer moves on and the phone is left running outdated software that no longer receives security patches. The Samsung Galaxy A17 5G at the same price comes with a six-year OS update and six-year security update commitment, which means the phone bought today is supported until 2031. Amazon has it at $149, off its $199 standard price and its best price ever, for a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED 5G phone with a triple-lens camera, Circle to Search, Super Fast Charging, IP54 water resistance, and 2TB expandable storage support. No Prime membership required.
See at Amazon
Six years of updates on a phone that costs less than no-name alternatives
The six-year update commitment is Samsung’s specific answer to the planned obsolescence that defines the budget Android market. Most no-name phones at this price receive manufacturer support for 12 to 18 months before updates stop and security vulnerabilities accumulate unpatched. Samsung’s commitment to six OS updates and six years of security patches means the Galaxy A17 5G runs current software in 2031, which is the specific guarantee that makes a $149 Samsung purchase a fundamentally different long-term proposition than a $149 purchase from a brand that will have moved on by next year.
