Long update periods for smartphones are particularly important for customers who do not want to replace their phone every two or three years. As long as the manufacturer provides security updates, they can continue using it without any problems.
But when the software becomes outdated, users expose themselves to potential risks, and some security-sensitive apps, such as banking apps, stop working.
There used to be nothing but excuses
In the past, manufacturers offered plenty of excuses for why long-term software updates were not possible: One argument was that they could not know whether later Android versions would still support the drivers for the installed hardware, or that they could not guarantee that all preinstalled apps would continue to work.
However, these arguments have since been refuted, as the major SoC manufacturers and Google ensure that hardware is supported for a long time and that the underlying operating system remains consistent enough for apps to continue working without problems.
Today, Xiaomi proves that it works
So now it is simply a question of whether the manufacturer is willing to invest in long-term updates, since patches have to be adapted individually for each device due to differences in drivers. However, with the Redmi 17 5G we recently reviewed, Xiaomi proves that this can easily be done for budget phones: Depending on the variant, the Redmi 17 5G even costs less than US$ 250, for example at <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Xiaomi-17-5G-Compatible-26062RN92G/dp/B0H8769T3S?tag=nbcnewsnet-20″ rel=”nofollow noopener” target=”_blank”>amazon.com.
Nevertheless, Xiaomi has committed to providing software updates until 2032, meaning another six years, and four new Android versions are also promised, taking it up to Android 20. Of course, updates are somewhat less frequent: A software update can be expected roughly every 90 days.
The Redmi 17 5G could also comply with the EU directive
It is still unclear whether this meets the EU requirements, as that depends on when sales end. But if Xiaomi stops selling the Redmi 17 5G next year, the timeframe will be exactly right.
Other manufacturers should take a cue from this update policy.
The Xiaomi Redmi 17 5G also has a few other highlights to offer. You can find out what they are in our in-depth review.
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> Expert reviews and news on laptops, smartphones and tech innovations > News > News Archive > Newsarchive 2026 10 > Software updates for mobile phones: Xiaomi proves that six years is easily achievable even for budget phones
Florian Schmitt, 2026-10-29 (Update: 2026-10-29)
