Apple supports its devices long after they have been sold. But for how long, precisely? Thanks to an English law, the manufacturer ended up revealing the number of years of software support for its terminals. Surprise: it’s shorter than at Samsung and Google.
In January 2023, Apple delivered a security patch with iOS 12.5.7, an update installable on the iPhone 5s launched… 10 years ago! In the small world of smartphone manufacturers, such longevity is unprecedented. But that doesn’t mean that the Apple company will provide such support to all of its devices. Actually, Apple officially committed to half as much.
Apple finally behind the competition
At the end of April, the British communications regulator implemented a new regulation requiring companies distributing, importing or manufacturing products capable of connecting to the internet to comply with certain security requirements. Among these obligations, the companies in question must indicate the duration of software support for security patches.
The iPhone being a device that connects to the internet, Apple therefore had to provide information that was not publicly known until now. For the iPhone 15 Pro Max, the manufacturer is therefore committing to support for at least 5 years after the first deliveries of the device, which date back to September 2023. This means that the smartphone will receive security updates until September 2028.
A five-year warranty is good. But that’s less than what Google and Samsung are offering, both of which have committed to 7 years of software support. This is what allows Dave Kleidermacher, vice president of engineering for Android security, to assert that Apple is no longer the manufacturer that offers the best software support policy on the market.
Read 7 years of Android updates: Google explains why it was (until then) impossible
After these five years, software monitoring will depend on Apple’s goodwill, but we can reasonably hope that the manufacturer will not stop there… even if, in fact, nothing guarantees it.
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