Honor Finally Steps Up
Honor has made the decision to elevate its offerings, now aligning itself with Google and Samsung by guaranteeing seven years of software updates for its smartphones. Perhaps a bit tardy to the scene, but hey, better late than never, isn’t that right?
At MWC 2025, Honor showcased its so-called “transformative promise” – seven years of key Android OS updates and security enhancements for its premium devices. Sounds great, but we’ll need to see if they can actually follow through.
For the moment, this reassurance is exclusive to the Honor Magic 7 Pro, with additional Magic-branded phones expected to follow. Beyond the usual Android and MagicOS updates, Honor believes this also implies that AI capabilities will be introduced to older devices. Let’s find out if they can deliver or if it’s merely a marketing gimmick.
Welcome to the Club, Buddy
Let’s face it – Honor isn’t exactly pioneering new terrain here. Google initiated the seven-year update trend in late 2023 with its Pixel 8 range, which is also applicable to the more recent Pixel 9 models.
Following suit, Samsung introduced its Galaxy S24 series in early 2024 and has maintained this for the newer Galaxy S25 lineup.
Now, Honor has become the third manufacturer to jump on this extended update bandwagon, and I wager more brands will have to follow suit. Nobody wants to be the odd one out regarding longevity, particularly when consumers expect their upscale devices to endure beyond a few years.
Foundry | Alex Walker-Todd
The Qualcomm Influence
So, what’s causing every phone manufacturer to become so generous with updates? A major factor: Qualcomm. The chip powerhouse recently declared that it’s collaborating with Google to simplify long-term software support.
With the Snapdragon 8 Elite and the next five iterations of Snapdragon 8 and 7-series processors, Qualcomm is stepping up to provide as much as eight years of software and security updates. This means that manufacturers can no longer rely on “Our chips can’t manage that” as an excuse.
Therefore, it’s no surprise that Honor’s Magic 7 Pro is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite. With Qualcomm handling much of the heavy lifting, Honor—and likely many other brands—can now promise extended support without too much effort.
All right then, OnePlus 13 and Xiaomi 15 Ultra, we’re keeping an eye on you.
Summary: Honor Finally Gets Its Act Together
Well, well, well… Honor has finally caught up. It’s refreshing to see another Android brand committing to long-term support, even if it took a push from Google, Samsung, and Qualcomm to get there. The more companies that dedicate themselves to prolonged updates, the better it is for those of us who aren’t keen on purchasing a new phone every couple of years simply because the old one stops receiving security updates.
Still, let’s refrain from bestowing accolades just yet. Vowing seven years of updates is one thing—actually providing them efficiently and punctually is a whole different story. Let’s hope Honor doesn’t pull a fast one.
So, do you trust Honor to keep your device updated for nearly a decade? Or will you stick with the tried-and-true brands? Share your thoughts in the comments at GadgetLad, where we keep it real. And if you ventured here expecting overly sweetened nonsense, you’ve got me mistaken for someone else.
