A Comprehensive List of Phones Getting the Android 7.0 Nougat Update

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Published 26 Aug 2016

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android nougat

With Android 7.0 Nougat being released by Google earlier this week, there is only one question in everyone’s mind: when will my Android device get the Nougat update.

A downside of Android devices from various OEMs being different from each other is that it can take months for devices to get the latest version of Android.

The release of Android 7.0 has seen many OEMs come forward and release a list of devices they plan on updating to it. By informing customers about the update process, OEMs are hoping to instil confidence in customers about their products and reassure them that they take the act of updating their devices to the latest version of Android seriously.

Coming back to the topic, if you are wondering whether your Android smartphone will receive the Android 7.0 Nougat update or not, check out the list below. The below list is by no means final or official, but should still give you a good idea on whether (and when) your device will get the Nougat update.

HTC

HTC has already confirmed that it will be rolling out the Android 7.0 Nougat update for the HTC 10, HTC One M9 and One A9. The unlocked variant of 10 will be receiving it first in Q4 followed by the unlocked variants of One M9 and One A9. The carrier variants of these handsets will also receive the Nougat update, though it will take slightly longer due to carrier testing and certification.

HTC 10 Android N update

Samsung

Despite being the biggest Android OEM, Samsung has not announced its official plans on Nougat. Nonetheless, looking at the company’s past record, we should expect the unlocked Galaxy S7 and S7 edge to receive the Nougat update by the middle of Q4. This will be followed by the Galaxy Note 7, with carrier variants of these devices close behind.

The Galaxy S6, S6 edge, Note 5, and S6 edge+ should also receive the Nougat update by the end of this year or early next year. The Galaxy Note 4 will also receive the Nougat update, though it is unlikely that it will happen anytime before early next year.

The Galaxy S5 will likely not be receiving the Nougat update since the Snapdragon 801 chipset powering the handset is not supported by the OS.

LG

Even before the official Nougat update was released by Google, LG had started a beta testing program for the G5 in South Korea. So, G5 owners should be rest assured that their device will be updated to Android 7.0 by next month or in early Q4.

The LG G4 and V10 will also receive the Nougat update by the end of this year or early next year. As for the LG G3, it has reached its end of life and will not be receiving the Android 7.0 update.

LG is also going to be the first OEM to release an Android device running Nougat out of the box, the V20. The handset will be unveiled on September 6th.

Sony

Sony has already officially announced a list of devices that it will be updating to Android 7.0 Nougat.

  • Xperia Z3+
  • Xperia Z4 Tablet
  • Xperia Z5
  • Xperia Z5 Compact
  • Xperia Z5 Premium
  • Xperia X
  • Xperia XA
  • Xperia XA Ultra
  • Xperia X Performance

The company has not provided any time frame, but looking at its past performance, do not expect the update to land anytime soon.

Motorola

Motorola is among the fastest OEMs out there to update its devices to the latest version of Android. While the unlocked Moto Z and Moto Z Force are yet to go on sale, these handsets should receive the Nougat update by the middle of Q4. The Moto X Style/Pure should also see its Android 7.0 update being made available by October.

The Moto G4, Moto G3, and their variants will also receive the Nougat update likely by the end of this year.

OnePlus

Learning from their mistakes, OnePlus seems to have been working on improving its software update speeds. The company should roll out the Nougat update for the OnePlus 3 by the end of this year, while the OnePlus 2 should receive the update by the end of Q1, 2017.

The OnePlus One and OnePlus X will likely not receive the Nougat update because the Snapdragon 801 chipset is no longer supported by Qualcomm.

Lenovo

Lenovo is not particularly known for quickly rolling out major Android OS updates to its devices, and it is unlikely that things are going to change with Nougat. While there has been no official announcement from the company, I expect the likes of Vibe K5 Note, K4 Note, and Vibe K5 Plus receving their Nougat update sometime next year.

Xiaomi

If you have not already guessed it, Xiaomi cares little about what the latest version of Android is. The company is unlikely to make the switch to Nougat anytime soon, especially since it just released MIUI 8. And since MIUI is such a heavy skin, even if the company does switch over to Nougat, you won’t be able to tell the difference.

Snapdragon 801-powered devices

If you own an Android device powered by the massively popular Snapdragon 800/801 chipset, prepare to be disappointed. Google has dropped support for the chipset in AOSP with Nougat, so OEMs cannot roll out the Nougat update for their devices even if they wish to. This includes devices like the OnePlus One, Xperia Z3/Z2, LG G3, Nexus 5, and more.

While not confirmed, support is being dropped for these devices due to the lack of updated GPU drivers for Nougat from Qualcomm. Apparently, this is because of the lack of OpenGL 3.1 support on the Adreno 3xx series of GPU.


To reiterate what I said at the beginning of this article: the list above is by no means official, but should still give you a good idea of when your Android device will receive the Nougat update.

A general rule of thumb: If you own a flagship Android device released in the last year or two, be rest assured that your device will get the Android 7.0 update. If it is a particularly popular mid-range phone released in the last 2 years, it will — more than likely — receive the update. However, if you own a particularly old device or a less popular one, the chances of it being updated to Nougat are pretty slim.