On its official software updates page, Samsung has confirmed the Galaxy A35 will only receive quarterly security updates instead of monthly patches. This decision is particularly jarring considering the A35’s steep price tag of about Kshs 50,000 in the Kenyan market.
While the phone hasn’t had its official Kenyan launch yet, pre-sales by retailers and teasers from Samsung Kenya indicate an imminent arrival. However, the idea of infrequent security updates casts a shadow over the device’s appeal.
Let me make it clear that this is unacceptable in my books. Consumers shelling out such a significant sum for a smartphone deserve the peace of mind that comes with regular security patches – monthly patches, at the bare minimum. It would have been reasonable for Samsung to provide monthly updates for the A35’s first year, followed by a transition to quarterly updates after the first major OS upgrade to Android 15.
With Samsung promising five years of software support for these devices, including the Galaxy A55, making an exception and prioritizing monthly updates for the A35 should have been done. This decision feels short-sighted and fails to recognize the investment Kenyan consumers are making.
For potential savvy buyers, this news will likely be a major deterrent. Although others may never notice or even never get bothered by this development. Still, in a price range with increasingly capable competitors, I think Samsung has inadvertently tarnished the appeal of the Galaxy A35 before it even hits shelves officially.
