Samsung silently gives these mid-range phones and tablets a software extension

What you need to know

• Reports claim that Samsung has extended the software support for its mid-range Galaxy A56 and A36 to seven years, all the way to 2032.
• Another report says this extension also includes the Galaxy Tab A11 and A11 Plus; however, this increase in support does not include Android OS, as that remains capped at six year (2031 at the latest).
• Samsung's flagship Galaxy S25 series has received seven years of promised updates, which includes Android OS and security patches.

Samsung is supposedly extending the software lifespan for one of its mid-range phones, but this extension isn't all-encompassing.

Spotted recently by Galaxy Club (Dutch), Samsung has reportedly updated its product page for the Galaxy A56, stating it will receive a little more support. According to the listing, the mid-range phone will now receive one extra year of Samsung software support, taking users up from a promised six years to seven. The publication clocked that Samsung will now support the phone from 2025 to 2032 with its software patches.

However, it seems Samsung is only willing to extend one aspect of its software support: the security side.

There's a section in Samsung's product listing that highlights its promised Android OS versions and the number of upgrades consumers can expect for a particular device. For the Galaxy A56, that number hasn't updated and remains at six. So, right now, it seems the model will only receive major Android OS upgrades from 2025 to 2031, meaning that last year is just for anything crucial and new with Samsung's security.

A user on the Samsung Community forum noticed this, too, citing a post by Sammy Fans about a few more extensions. It seems Samsung has also quietly extended its support for the Galaxy A36, Galaxy Tab A11, and Galaxy Tab A11 Plus. All of these devices have been reportedly brought up to seven years, which, in a way, mirrors Samsung's flagships.

Making the best of the budget

U.S. consumers were patiently waiting for the next Galaxy A series phone to arrive, especially after the company skipped out on the Galaxy A55 a year prior. The A56 officially arrived in July at retailers nationwide in the U.S. For $499, consumers were treated to a 6.7-inch FHD Plus Super AMOLED display, a trio of cameras, and a 5,000mAh battery.

The model was a little delayed in getting to the U.S., as the Galaxy A56 originally launched with the A36 and A26 back in March in other markets.

The mid-range devices also feature Awesome Intelligence, Samsung's first take on its Galaxy AI features, but for mid-range models. Object Eraser, Best Face, and even Google's Circle to Search made their way to these Galaxy A-series phones.

Regarding the apparent software extension, Samsung is seemingly bringing its mid-range models up to par with its flagships, sans Android OS upgrades. The Galaxy S25 series has received seven years of promised support, which includes Android OS updates with its typical monthly security patches.