We’re now keeping our phones longer between upgrades, which is why the guaranteed minimum support periods are extending across the board. It is clear that this update decision from Samsung will affect millions of users, and while three-monthly updates is better than no updates, it doesn’t help when there’s an urgent fix mid-cycle.

The Galaxy S III solidified Samsung’s position as a leading maker of high-end phones, a process kickstarted by the Galaxy S and Galaxy S II in previous years. Its success, however, wasn’t as much of a surprise as that of the next phone on the list.