Samsung is promising up to seven years of updates for its Galaxy devices, starting with the Galaxy S23 series and Galaxy Tab S10 models. Before that, the company offered a few years of major software updates, with longer support for security updates for some devices. Products like the already mentioned Galaxy Tab S10 line, launching in late 2024, will receive five more years of updates, but devices like the late 2023 Galaxy Tab A9 and Galaxy Tab A9+ will lose Android support and security updates in 2027, even though they were released less than three years ago.
Focused on a more budget-friendly option, the Galaxy Tab A9 features an LCD screen, MediaTek or Qualcomm chips, 4 or 8 GB of RAM and 64 GB or 128 GB of storage, as well as an 8 MP main camera and 2 or 5 MP selfie lenses, depending on the model. These tablets were intended for daily media consumption, casual browsing, e-reading, and streaming without customers having to pay a higher price.
Like many other budget Samsung devices, these will no longer receive Android updates in October 2026 and security updates in 2027. After that, customers will be able to continue using their tablets, but they should be aware of the security risks of a tablet that cannot be updated.
2026 and 2027 mark the loss of support for other Samsung Galaxy Tab devices
In early 2026, Samsung phased out the 2022 Galaxy Tab A8. It lost Android support in 2025 after three years and stopped receiving security patches in February 2026. In March and April, Samsung ended new Android updates for the Galaxy Tab S8, Galaxy Tab S8+, and Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra, although these devices will continue to receive security updates until early 2027. Also in 2027, the Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro will be completely phased out, as it will no longer receive security patches next August.
Focused on Android software updates, the Galaxy Tab S9, Galaxy Tab S9+, Tab S9 Ultra, Tab S9 FE, and Tab S9 FE+ will lose them between August and October 2027, meaning they might not receive Google’s major 2027 software update, even though security updates are expected for at least 2028.
Although these tablets lean more toward the premium side, they were launched about three years ago, giving them four years of Android software updates and five years of security updates. The only exception is the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite, released in March 2024, which will lose Android updates in early 2027. For Apple, the company typically gives its tablets about five years of software updates and slightly more security patches, although it doesn’t publicly say how long its products will actually last.
Samsung’s new releases will last much longer
On a website focused on security updates, Samsung is reinforcing its commitment to these upgrades to keep customers’ devices secure for longer. Depending on the device and its lifecycle, some may receive monthly, quarterly, or biannual security updates, with support spanning seven years of improvements and security fixes starting in January 2027. Still, the company is finally joining the list of Android tablets with the longest lifespan.
That said, for Galaxy Tab devices, Samsung is prioritizing the Tab S10 lineup, consisting of the S10+, S10 Ultra, S10 FE, S10 FE+, and S10 Lite, in addition to last year’s Galaxy Tab S11, S11 Ultra, Tab A11, and A11+ with a shelf life between 2031 and 2032. These tablets offer a more attractive reason for customers to choose them, as Samsung will continue to release them up to date longer.
Beyond your personal preference for iOS or Android, one of the main differences was that an Android tablet you bought today could lose support for major software updates too quickly. With Samsung tablets offering a wider price range and longer software support, Android customers now have a better reason to get a new tablet, since they will continue to benefit from new features for years to come.
