Samsung has announced that it is improving one of the worst aspects of its Android phones. The company has confirmed that future phones will receive Android security updates for four years instead of the usual three years.

This new arrangement will apply retroactively to phones released after 2019, such as the Galaxy S10 series, and will include all Samsung mobile products. Be it Galaxy S, Z, A, Notebook, or Tab. Even Samsung's original Galaxy Fold would be covered.

This is an announcement that must shame other Android phone makers, especially Google. Even though Google owns and develops Android, Pixel phones will only receive three years of Android software and security updates. Most other companies offer three years of security updates and only two years of software maintenance.

Compare this to Apple, which, like Google, manages its own hardware and software. Typically, iPhones are supported for 5-6 years, and even today, the 2015 iPhone 6S and the original iPhone SE still offer iOS updates. Both are likely to be completely unsupported around the launch of the iPhone 13 later this year. But this proves that phone makers don't have to suddenly cut people off after only three years.

Granted, Samsung has not said anything about Android software updates beyond two years. Therefore, if people continue to use older Galaxy devices for a long time, they may not be able to take advantage of the features offered by newer versions of Android. However, the one-year extension of Android's security updates will not put you at risk if you continue to have your old phone.

It also means that other handset manufacturers will likely follow Samsung's example and start offering four-year security updates as well. Some manufacturers may even start offering more updates in an attempt to beat Samsung. Hopefully, Google will be among them.

But for now, if you care about keeping your phone secure, your next phone should be a Samsung. Just make sure it is one of the following devices: