Samsung Z Fold3, Z Flip3 software update comes to an end

Samsung Z Fold3 and Z Flip3 software updates have come to an end. (Photo/Reuters)

With the launch of the new generation Z Fold8 and Z Flip8 folding mobile phones, Samsung has once again eliminated two old phones. The Z Fold3 and Z Flip3, launched in 2021, have recently received the last security update and have been officially removed from Samsung’s official software support list. This means that the software support for the two mobile phones has officially come to an end. Users who continue to use them must pay attention to the risk of security vulnerabilities in the future.

Z Fold3 and Z Flip3 officially stop updating

Samsung originally promised that Z Fold3 and Z Flip3 would receive 4 years of Android system and 5 years of security updates. The two mobile phones have been upgraded from Android 11 to Android 15. The system version update was terminated last year and will not receive any new features. Now the security update period has officially expired, announcing the end of the entire software support cycle.

Stopping security updates does not mean that the phone will be unusable immediately. The original functions can still be used normally. However, if new security vulnerabilities appear in Android in the future, Z Fold3 and Z Flip3 will no longer receive official patches from Samsung. The longer they are used, the more security risks may increase.

These two mobile phones are actually a very critical generation for the development of Samsung’s foldable mobile phones. For example, Z Fold3 supported S Pen for the first time, and added IPX8 waterproofing and an under-screen lens design. Both internal and external screens also supported 120Hz update rates, further enhancing the practicality of folding phones at the time.

With Z Fold3 and Z Flip3 officially withdrawing, the next ones to enter the countdown are Z Fold4 and Z Flip4. Samsung has currently adjusted these two mobile phones to quarterly security updates, which means they have gradually entered the later stages of the support cycle.

Samsung adjusts strategy, new models support 7-year updates

Samsung has significantly extended the update life of its flagship phones in recent years. Starting from the S24 series, new flagships can receive Android system and security updates for up to 7 years. Therefore, if you buy a new generation of Galaxy flagship now, the software life will be much longer than that of earlier models.