Key Points:
- Limited Support: The latest Samsung Health update drops support for Android 9 and older, affecting phones like the Galaxy S9 and Note 9.
- Older Versions Usable (for now): Existing versions might still work on unsupported phones, but lack official support and new features.
- Phased Approach: This is the latest step in Samsung’s gradual OS requirement increase for the Health app, following the 2021 Android Marshmallow/Nougat cut-off.
Samsung is waving goodbye to Samsung Health on a significant chunk of older Galaxy phones. While most users won’t be impacted, those clinging to beloved devices like the Galaxy S9 or Note 9 will face limitations.
The news comes from a teardown of the latest Samsung Health app update (version 6.27), revealing an upcoming notice about compatibility changes. This update silently bumps the minimum required operating system to Android 10, effectively shutting out phones stuck on Android 9 or older.
There’s a silver lining, however. Existing versions of the Health app might still function on these unsupported phones. However, this comes with a significant caveat: no official support. This means users won’t receive bug fixes, security patches, or access to new features rolled out in future updates.
While the loss of cutting-edge features might not be a deal-breaker for everyone using an older Galaxy phone as a secondary device, the lack of official support could raise concerns. Security vulnerabilities in unsupported apps can pose a risk, and bugs may go unaddressed.
This change marks the latest step in Samsung’s gradual increase in the minimum OS requirement for the Health app. In 2021, the company ended support for devices running Android Marshmallow and Nougat. Following this pattern, we can expect the minimum OS version to be raised again in a few years, potentially affecting even more devices.
If you’re rocking an older Galaxy phone and rely on Samsung Health, it might be time to consider upgrading your device or sticking with the current app version while acknowledging the limitations.
