The era of getting a new phone every year is over – even the 2-year upgrade cycle is becoming less common. These days even entry-level phones can last several years. And some like the new Samsung Galaxy A16 5G can last a really long time.
The phone boasts a wild 6 years of support, meaning it will be receiving OS updates and security patches until October 2030. Let that sink in – a €250 phone will get longer support than most flagships. This includes recent Samsung phones (e.g. the S23 series is only getting 5 years of support) and recent Pixels (Pixel 7 series is also getting 5 years). Even Apple, the once undisputed champ in phone longevity, isn’t at the forefront – iOS 17 ended support for the 6-year-old (at the time) iPhone X and 8.
Some makers, like Samsung and Google, have extended support for their flagship series to 7 years. But we didn’t expect to see entry-level models get longer than 5 years anytime soon. For example, the previous model, the Galaxy A15 5G, is slated for 5 years of support. And that only included 4 OS updates, 5 years is for the security patches. With the A16, it’s 6 years for both OS updates and security patches.
Samsung equips the Galaxy A16 5G with either a Dimensity 6300 or an Exynos 1330. The 1330 we’ve seen before in the Galaxy A14 5G, for example. It’s not a stellar chip, but an understandable pick given the price.
The phone also gained dust and water resistance, just an IP54 rating, but that’s still much better than the nothing that the A15 had. Also, it keeps the microSD slot for expandable storage. However, the 3.5mm headphone jack is gone – times, they are a-changin’.
Another change this year – no 4G model. At least not yet, but the A15 and A15 5G launched at the same time, so there’s no reason for the delay. Of course, 4G-only phones will go away at some point, just like 3G-only phones did. But is that moment now or would you have preferred a cheaper 4G phone (also with 6 years of support)?
Well, the 6 years of support is certainly a great way to reduce e-waste. But do you think that a low-level phone like the Samsung Galaxy A16 5G will last until 2030 and not feel painfully slow to use?