Realme flagship gets 4 Android OS updates and 6 years security updates

Realme is finally getting serious about its software longevity, and it’s about time. After years of playing second fiddle to industry giants when it comes to long-term support, the brand has just dropped a bombshell regarding its latest Number series. The realme 16 Pro and 16 Pro+ are moving from a standard 3-year plan to a much more ambitious 4-year Android OS update cycle, paired with six years of security patches. It’s a bold move, frankly, aimed at silencing the critics who claim mid-range phones are disposable.

The numbers here are actually quite impressive for a non-flagship line. Since these devices launched running Android 16 (realme UI 7.0), this new policy effectively guarantees they will see the light of day with Android 20. I suppose the goal is to match the support of the premium GT8 series, which currently sits at the top of the company’s food chain. For a phone that already boasts a massive 7,000mAh battery, this software extension means the device might actually outlive your interest in it. It's a survival tactic in a market where users are holding onto their hardware longer than ever.

But here’s the catch: a long-term promise is only as good as the hardware that supports it. The 16 Pro+ is powered by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4, while its sibling uses the Dimensity 7300 Max. These aren't bottom-of-the-barrel chips, but asking them to run Android 20 smoothly in half a decade is a tall order. Still, realme isn't just focusing on the future. They’ve also retroactively extended support for the 14 and 15 series, showing a rare bit of consistency. I’ll be honest, seeing a mid-range phone get security updates until 2032 feels like a fever dream, but here we are.

Quality support doesn’t come for free. Interestingly, this announcement follows a noticeable price hike for the 16 Pro series in several markets. It seems the "tech popularizer" brand is shifting its identity toward the "entry-premium" segment. They are betting that consumers will pay a bit more upfront if it means their device won't become a security risk in three years. Whether or not the "Flux Engine" and those 200MP cameras still feel relevant in 2032 remains to be seen, but at least the software won't be the thing that kills it.