With every smartphone OEM in a hurry to get the new Android Nougat update on eligible devices, owners of these devices are still in the dark regarding the exact phones that will be benefiting from the new OS.
The like of Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X are already receiving the update. Those using the Xperia X Performance and Xperia XZ can also look forward to getting the update this month. Motorola has also said the same with respect to the Moto G4 and Moto Z series released this year, but Samsung is still dillydallying with these details, leaving many to guess what the South Korean company has in store.
Samsung has had a lot to deal with in the wake of the Galaxy Note 7 crisis, however, this will not be drawing the developers back when it comes to updating compatible devices with the new Android Nougat. However, when looking back at Android Marshmallow, it is hard to believe if Samsung will indeed deliver the update before the end of this year.
Nonetheless, optimistic voices are adamant that the likes of Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge, which have reportedly been spotted in benchmarking tests with Android Nougat on board, will be receiving this update before this year comes to a conclusion. Once this first group is done, the 2015 flagships that consist of Samsung Galaxy Note 5, Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge+ and Galaxy S6 Edge will also be updated to the new OS. With Samsung having stopped the production and selling of the Galaxy Note 7, the date of this device is now in the balance.
A notable omission is the Galaxy Note 4, a device that many will agree that it still rocks some of best performance specs and features as well. However, given earlier reports that suggested all devices based on Snapdragon 801 and below will not be receiving Android Nougat upgrades, it is realistic for any user of this device to hope for the release of the OS. Otherwise, the current Android Marshmallow update could be the end of the device’s major software program, but it is highly unlikely. The case is even worse for the Galaxy S5, which is now more than 2.5 years old.
We expect Samsung to add a list of mid-range and entry-level handsets to this list, mainly dominated by the likes of Galaxy J series, Galaxy A series as well as the new Galaxy C series.