How many software updates will the OnePlus Nord 4 receive?
With six years of confirmed updates, the Nord 4 is the best OnePlus phone if you want long-term updates.
How many software updates will the OnePlus Nord 4 receive?
OnePlus has confirmed that it will deliver four guaranteed Android OS updates and six years of security updates to the Nord 4. As the device launched with Android 14, it will be eligible to be upgraded to Android 18 once it becomes available in 2028. Additionally, with six years of software updates, the phone will receive security patches until 2030 — making it the best OnePlus phone currently available in this regard.
The Nord 4 will get more software updates than any other OnePlus phone
OnePlus is switching up its strategy with the Nord 4, with the device getting six years of security updates. That's longer than the five-year guarantee of the OnePlus 12 and OnePlus Open, and it's interesting that the manufacturer is announcing the change on a mid-range phone instead of a flagship.
What this means is that the Nord 4 will get software updates until July 2030, and that's incredible. It allows OnePlus to go up squarely against the likes of the Galaxy A55 and Pixel 8a in this segment, and while Google's mid-ranger is still in the lead as it will get seven Android updates, this is a terrific starting point.
My only quibble with OnePlus is that the company doesn't roll out updates on time; sure, platform updates for flagships show up within a few months, but Nord devices haven't gotten the same level of attention in the past, and that needs to change. Thankfully, that might be the case with the Nord 4, and I will update this post with Android 15 availability as and when the next version rolls out to the device.
Otherwise, the software situation on the Nord 4 is identical to that of the OnePlus 12 — both phones have the same UI and feature-set. It is just as fluidic in daily use, and while it doesn't quite handle demanding games as well, it comes close.
Overall, the fact that OnePlus will deliver four guaranteed Android updates alongside six years of security patches gives the Nord 4 a distinct edge over most phones in the mid-range segment.
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Harish Jonnalagadda is Android Central's Senior Editor of Asia. In his current role, he oversees the site's coverage of Chinese phone brands, networking products, and AV gear. He has been testing phones for over a decade, and has extensive experience in mobile hardware and the global semiconductor industry. Contact him on Twitter at @chunkynerd.