Google Pixel users have been enjoying Android 16 for over a month now, but it’s yet to reach devices from other brands. Realme, however, promised to be among the first brands to deliver the update to its flagship devices. This also means that mid-range and cheaper models should get the update faster than usual.
The Android 16 update for Realme phones will come with Realme UI 7.0 skin at the top, which is said to bring many new features, customizations, and meaningful changes across the system. The sad part, though, is that many Realme users are going to miss out on this major upgrade. We’ve prepared a list of those devices below. Review it to find out if you’ll need an upgrade to receive the latest features and enhancements.
Realme phones that are not eligible for Android 16 update
Relme hasn’t announced which devices will or won’t be upgraded to Android 16-based Realme UI 7.0. So, we had to rely on the software update policy and a little bit of guesswork to prepare the following list:
Realme GT series
- Realme GT 2
- Realme GT 2 Pro
- Realme GT 2 Explorer Master
- Realme GT 5G
- Realme GT Master
Realme GT Neo series
- Realme GT Neo 3
- Realme GT Neo 3T
- Older GT Neo series models
Realme number series
- Realme 11 (LTE/5G)
- Realme 11 Pro
- Realme 11 Pro+
- Realme 11x
- Older number series models
Realme Narzo series
- Realme Narzo 60
- Realme Narzo 60 Pro
- Realme Narzo 60x
- Older Narzo series models
Realme Narzo N series
- Realme Narzo N55
- Realme Narzo N53
Realme C series
- Realme C67
- Realme C55
- Realme C53
- Realme C51
- Realme C51s
- Older C series models
If your Realme smartphone is on the list, it’s unlikely to receive the Android 16 update. However, I’d still recommend checking the official list for the final confirmation before you start looking around for an upgrade.
Realme’s update policy needs an upgrade
Realme is fairly quick with software updates, but the update promise falls short of what most Android brands offer. The brand has long offered just three Android upgrades to its high-end phones, the GT series. Only recently, it started offering four of them with the GT 7 series release.
While it’s a nice move, Realme is still a step behind Oppo and Nothing, which offer up to five OS updates, and much behind Samsung and Google, promising up to seven Android updates.
The mid-range and cheaper models from Realme max out at just two OS upgrades, while its rivals offer up to four. Samsung is in a different league, offering up to six OS updates to its newer mid-range models. So, longer software updates are no longer exclusive to flagship devices, and Realme needs to learn that. The brand should offer extended software support to non-flagship phones, too.
Which Realme device do you have, and is it eligible for the Android 16 upgrade? Do let us know in the comment section below. Also, don’t forget to visit our Android 16 section regularly for the latest updates.
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