Durable Smartphones: HONOR and Realme Embrace Extended Update Challenge
At MWC 2025, Realme and HONOR announced plans to offer up to 6 and 7 years of updates for their smartphones, respectively, signaling a shift towards sustainability that aligns with consumer expectations and European regulations.
Enhancing Smartphone Durability: The New Challenge for Manufacturers
At the 2025 Mobile World Congress, brands HONOR and Realme showcased their commitment to sustainability and user satisfaction by announcing extended updates and support for select smartphone models.
HONOR and Realme Emerge as Leaders in Durability
HONOR unveiled a pioneering 7-year Android update policy for its Magic series, while Realme, expanding rapidly in Europe, promised 6 years of software updates for its 14 Pro series and a 4-year battery warranty. Despite the lack of similar confirmations from other brands at MWC 2025, competitive support durations may already be in place.
Growing Consumer Expectations
This information is crucial for users seeking long-term devices, concerned about sustainability to combat planned obsolescence and reduce electronic waste. Apple, historically ahead with 5-6 years of support (iOS 17 (2023) was compatible with the iPhone XS/XR launched in 2018), set the trend years ago. In 2022, Samsung began offering 4 years of Android updates and 5 years of security updates for its premium devices.
Other Manufacturers Stay the Course
« A detailed review of other major manufacturers such as Xiaomi, Samsung, OnePlus, Oppo, Motorola, Nokia, and Vivo revealed no specific announcements of extended update policies at MWC 2025. »
Without making new announcements, these companies continue to offer updates for several years on certain models. For instance, Samsung already provides 7 years of updates for its Galaxy S24 series. Similarly, OnePlus offers 4 years of Android updates, and Nokia generally provides 2 to 3 years of support. These efforts align with current market demands. The Pixel 8 and 8 Pro (2023) have moved to 7 years of complete updates.
The manufacturers’ efforts correlate with increased consumer demand for more durable devices, thus meeting the stringent standards set by the European Union. The heightened competition among these tech giants is thus pushing the market towards greater durability and long-term user satisfaction.