Against all odds, it seems that the Samsung Galaxy S6 might actually receive an Android 8.0 Oreo software update. Here’s what you need to know.
The Samsung Galaxy S6 launched way back in 2015. That might not seem like a long time, but it’s an age in software update terms. When the Galaxy S6 came out, it ran on the now-ancient Android 5.0 Lollipop (of 2014 origins). Since then, Google has debuted three new major versions of its Android mobile operating system.
The problem for Galaxy S6 owners has been that Samsung typically only provides two major Android updates for every flagship. This means we were never really expecting that the Galaxy S6 would be upgraded beyond last year’s Android 7.0 Nougat .
In a surprise boon to Galaxy S6 owners, however, it seems that the phone may get the Oreo upgrade after all.
A Reddit thread created by user CyberConCoder details alleged conversations had with four different Samsung customer support representatives. According to the user, all four suggested that the Galaxy S6 will get the Oreo update – including one who asked his supervisor for clarity.
Screenshots were also included in the thread, although this by no means confirms that the conversations are true. Also, while chat reps can often be the source of otherwise confidential information, it’s often the case that they get things wrong. Even the user admits that we should all “take this with a huge grain of salt”.
If it’s true, however, then it’s great news for Galaxy S6 owners – and owners of other Samsung phones generally. If the Galaxy S6 is getting three major versions of Android updates, it could mean that the same is true for other Galaxy phones going forward. That would mean, for instance, that the Samsung Galaxy S8 would receive the yet-to-be-announced Android Q update, which we’d expect to go live in 2019.
We’ve asked Samsung for comment on this matter and will update this article with any response. Until then, we’d recommend avoiding making any purchase decisions based on this rumour.
