Samsung has received criticism in the past for being slow in updating its smartphones to the latest version of the Android mobile operating system. For the upcoming flagship Galaxy Note 7, though, it seems the company will try to do better.
The president of Samsung's mobile communications division, Koh Dong-jin, said in a press conference that the company will be releasing an operating system update for the Galaxy Note 7 to take the smartphone to Android 7.0 Nougat in two to three months.
"It is very important for us to offer up-to-date information with the new OS, but what's more crucial is to build a stable and seamless platform for users," said Koh, as reported by the Korea Times. He noted that Samsung will not be sacrificing quality with the faster release of the new Android operating system, as the company will be carrying out enough beta testing before releasing the update.
If Koh's promise pushes through, an Android 7.0 update for the Galaxy Note 7 within three months of the device's release would be a new speed record for the company. However, it should be noted that unlocked models will likely be getting the update faster, as they are not subject to approval from carriers compared with the carrier-linked devices in the United States.
Koh said the decision to fasttrack the Android 7.0 Nougat update for the Galaxy Note 7 was due to customer feedback, but the intricacies of carrier testing in the United States would likely lead to a delay in the arrival of the operating system upgrade. Carriers have to test such updates, as they each have different versions of the same smartphone, and the update process could add months to the timeframe of the Android 7.0 Nougat upgrade.
Nevertheless, Koh's promise on getting the operating system update faster for the Galaxy Note 7 can be considered a major selling point for the smartphone. Even if the upgrade is delayed in the United States due to carrier testing, it would still be much faster compared with what Samsung users have been accustomed to.
The Galaxy Note 7 being upgraded to Android 7.0 Nougat will give it an even better fighting chance against Apple's iPhone 7 Plus, which is expected to be launched by September or October. Customers who are in the market for a premium flagship smartphone can check out our quick comparison between the two devices to decide whether to purchase the Galaxy Note 7 when it launches this month or wait for the release of the iPhone 7 Plus.
