Samsung cell phones: These Galaxy models will no longer receive updates in 2024

• Samsung has continued to expand software support for its cell phones in recent years.
• However, many popular models will reach the end of their support period in 2024.
• Cheap A and M models are also affected.

The South Korean manufacturer Samsung is one of the providers of Android cell phones with the most generous software support. Samsung now guarantees you up to four major Android updates and five years of security patches for its cell phones and tablets. However, this regulation has only been in effect since 2022. Previously released devices will reach the end of software support after a maximum of four years.

In 2024, this will apply to a number of prominent models from the S and the now discontinued Note series as well as the foldables Z Flip and Z Fold:

S10 Lite, Note and S20 series among others affected

• Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite (released January 2020)
• Samsung Galaxy S20 FE (released September 2020)
• Samsung Galaxy S20, S20+ and S20 Ultra (released March 2020)
• Samsung Galaxy Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra (released March 2020)
• Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Lite (released January 2020)
• Galaxy Z Fold 2 (released September 2020)
• Galaxy Z Flip (5G) (released February/July 2020)

These are the best alternatives

All models mentioned have no longer received an update to Android 14 (One UI 6). Samsung will now stop distributing security patches over the next year. If you are looking for an alternative, you should choose the current model variants. For Samsung’s S series, this is currently the Galaxy S23, but the successor Galaxy S24 is expected to appear in January 2024.

Fans of Samsung’s Note series also have to switch to the S series. Because Samsung has discontinued the Note model series. The S Ultra now also offers support for the S-Pen control pen. The current models Fold 5 and Flip 5 can be considered as replacements for the Flip (5G) and Fold 2.

A good replacement for the S20 FE and S10 Lite is the Galaxy S23 FE. It can also serve as a replacement for the Note 10 Lite, but you have to do without the S-Pen control stylus. Samsung no longer offers cheap cell phones with a stylus.

Many A and M models are also threatened with extinction

In addition to older premium smartphones, many cheaper models from the A and M series are also at risk of losing support in 2024. Samsung currently only distributes security patches every six months. This is the lowest frequency for distributing patches. In the next step, Samsung will end support. This could happen in 2024 for the following models:

• A series: Galaxy A01, Galaxy A11, Galaxy A21, Galaxy A21s, Galaxy A31, Galaxy A41, Galaxy A51, Galaxy A51 5G, Galaxy A71, Galaxy A71 5G, Galaxy A02, Galaxy A02s, Galaxy A12, Galaxy A22, Galaxy A22 5G, Galaxy A42 5G, Galaxy A72, Galaxy A82 5G and Galaxy A03s
• M series: Galaxy M01, Galaxy M11, Galaxy M21, Galaxy M21 2021, Galaxy M31, Galaxy M31s, Galaxy M51, Galaxy M12, Galaxy M22, Galaxy M32, Galaxy M32 5G, Galaxy M42 5G, Galaxy M52 5G, Galaxy M62

However, we do not assume that Samsung will stop software support for all of the models mentioned next year. Cell phones that were only released in 2019 and 2020 are primarily affected. The current A models A14 5G, A34 5G and A54 5G are available as replacements – also for the M models. Samsung no longer sells these in Germany.

If you want to continue using your cell phones beyond the end of software support, you can speed them up by changing just one setting. However, it should be said that over time the devices become vulnerable to cyberattacks due to a lack of security patches. We advise you to switch to a current model, especially if you do banking transactions on your cell phone.

By the way, Xiaomi will also end software support for many cell phones in 2024, and some Pixel smartphones from Google will no longer receive updates.

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