The reason why Galaxy S10 Lite gets to run Android 13 while other Galaxy S10 phones don’t. Well, Samsung’s update policy considers the Android version a phone launches with rather than its pricing or hardware capabilities. For instance, the Galaxy S10e, Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10+, and the Galaxy S10 5G debuted in early 2019 with Android 9 on board. Hence, they get three Android OS updates: Android 10 (One UI 2), Android 11 (One UI 3), and Android 12 (One UI 4).
Regarding the support and quality of its software, Samsung has significantly improved over the years. For its most recent smartphones, it has guaranteed up to four years of Android OS updates, which is better than even Google’s release schedule for Pixel phones. But it has also led to some confusion among owners of Galaxy smartphones. Why would the cheaper Galaxy S10e, Galaxy S10, and Galaxy S10+ receive the Android 13 upgrade but not the more expensive Galaxy S10 Lite?
Highlights
Yes, it seems unfair that a cheaper and lower-end phone (compared to other Galaxy S10 phones) will be able to run Android 13 (and One UI 5.0). But it is what it is, and some users might be forced to buy Galaxy phones that launch towards the start of the year to enjoy the maximum period of up-to-date software. Join SamMobile’s Telegram group and subscribe to our YouTube channel to get instant news updates and in-depth reviews of Samsung devices. You can also subscribe to get updates from us on Google News and follow us on Twitter.
In comparison, the Galaxy S10 Lite launched a year later (early 2020) with Android 10 on board. As per the South Korean firm’s software update policy for its smartphones and tablets, the Galaxy S10 Lite will also get three major Android OS updates. Since it launched with Android 10 pre-installed, it will get Android 11, Android 12, and Android 13 updates.
