Vivo has announced it will provide Android and security updates for its flagship devices for at least three years.
Vivo is a company that makes a brand of smartphones popular in Asia, Australia and Europe. Like most smartphone makers, Vivo phones run the Android operating system (OS). Unlike iOS, which is controlled exclusively by Apple, there is a great deal of variance in the levels of support the various Android vendors provide.
Vivo is working to differentiate itself from rivals with the announcement that its upcoming Vivo X flagship line will receive OS and security updates for three years — with some caveats. The policy will only apply to users in Europe, Australia and India, and only includes the X line of smartphones.
“Featuring top of the line hardware, the X series flagship phones are built to last — and we want to make sure that our customers get software support that lives up to their expectations,” said Vivo senior vice president and CTO Yujian Shi, via ZDNet.
“We always innovate with the user in mind. With this pledge, we are making a promise to our customers that they will be able to enjoy a premium smartphone experience for an extended period and continue to benefit from the latest software features.”
The announcement puts Vivo in greater competition with Samsung, which recently announced its own extended support plans. While Vivo’s announcement will likely help it in its core markets against other competitors, Samsung is still more widely available, and now offers four years of support, instead of Vivo’s three.