Apple is finally confirming how long it will support iPhones, and it’s less than Samsung and Google

If you’re looking to spend hundreds of dollars on the best phone available right now, one thing you’ll need to consider is the number of updates you’ll get. A $1,000 phone that only has three years of updates means you’ll need to upgrade your phone after those three years if you want to stay safe. Although phone update policies vary widely from brand to brand, most brands will explicitly tell you how long they will support their devices.

There is one notable exception, however, and that is Apple. Historically, Apple has not provided a minimum warranty for software support, although it has often outsold other companies when it comes to updates. But now Apple has finally committed to a minimum lifetime support for the iPhone, and it’s surprisingly less than what some of its competitors offer.

On 29 April 2024, the UK’s Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure (PSTI) Regulations came into force. This regulation forces companies that manufacture, import or distribute internet-connected products in the UK to meet certain security requirements. The aim of this regulation is to improve the security of consumer products that can connect to the Internet, in particular Internet of Things devices. Companies affected by the regulation must provide declarations of compliance that, among other things, indicate the support period during which security updates will be provided.

As iPhones are Internet enabled products, Apple is required to comply with UK PSTI regulations. The company recently released its statement of compliance for the iPhone 15 Pro Max, revealing that its “defined support period” is “a minimum of five years from the date of first shipment.” The “date of first shipment” is listed as September 22, 2023, when the iPhone 15 series went on sale.

According to the text of the PSTI regulation, the “defined support period” is “the minimum time, expressed as a time with an end date, during which security updates will be provided”. A “security update” is defined by PSTI as “a software update that protects or enhances the security of a product, including a software update that addresses security issues discovered or notified by the manufacturer.

So Apple is confirming to the UK government that it will issue security updates for at least five years from the launch date of the iPhone 15. In other words, the iPhone 15 is officially guaranteed to receive security updates until September 22, 2028. As the VP of Engineering points out for Android Security & Privacy at Google Dave Kleidermacher, means that Apple no longer offers the best security update policy in the industry. Both Samsung and Google guarantee seven years of not only security updates but also Android OS updates for their respective flagship devices, which is two years longer than Apple guarantees.

However, to Apple’s credit, it has long provided more than five years of security updates for various iPhone devices. Some iPhones have received security updates six or more years after their initial release, which is far more support than the vast majority of Android devices receive. So while Samsung and Google currently beat Apple in terms of how long they guarantee software support, that doesn’t mean iPhone users can’t keep their phones just as long, if not longer. They’ll just have to hope Apple doesn’t end support after the five-year minimum.