The Samsung Galaxy A16 5G is expected to launch in India at the end of September. TheTechOutlook first reported the leak, sharing an interesting tidbit of information: The A16 5G will get six years of guaranteed software updates.
Samsung started offering seven years of updates with the launch of the Galaxy S24 (a much more expensive device) earlier this year, a stark upgrade from the four years of updates offered with the S23.
Note that this is six years of security updates and six major OS updates. With the Galaxy S24 getting seven years of updates, this might not seem like a big deal — but budget phones traditionally have much less support from manufacturers. Many only receive two years of updates after launch.
Continued support could mark the start of a tremendously beneficial trend. Right now, the rest of the Galaxy A lineup will receive four years of updates. If Samsung begins offering a minimum of six years of support to all of its cheaper handsets, that would be a huge step forward.
The Galaxy A16 5G is expected to have a 6.7-inch FHD+ screen with a 90Hz refresh rate. It will also include two potential chips: the Exynos 1330 and the MediaTek Dimensity 6300. The MediaTek is slightly larger at 6 nanometers, but that’s the biggest difference between the two.
Depending on your taste, you should be able to get the phone in light green, blue, black, or gold.
Sure, the Galaxy A16 5G doesn’t have all the bells and whistles that its higher-end cousins do, but there are a huge number of people who don’t need those features. For someone who just wants a phone to check social media, stay in touch with friends, and maybe play a game here and there, the A16 5G looks like a great choice. And if its six years of updates is a sign of what’s to come to other budget Samsung phones, we really can’t wait.
