Samsung Galaxy A35 5G (2024)
~£279
Released
2024
Supported until
Android 18, security to 2028
The honest direct replacement. AMOLED screen, 5G, 4 years of OS and 5 years of security updates from Samsung. Currys and Amazon UK new stock.
End of security support since March 2022
The honest case for and against a Galaxy S9 in 2026
The Samsung Galaxy S9 launched in March 2018. Samsung shipped its last security patch in March 2022 and removed the S9 from its security maintenance list at the same time. That means over four years with no security updates. The hardware (Snapdragon 845, AMOLED, dual camera) still feels usable. The software situation is the problem. This page is honest about both, and lists four phones that cost the same but actually still get patches.
8 yrs
Since launch
Released March 2018 alongside S9+
Android 10
Last Android version
One UI 2.5, January 2020
4+ yrs
Without security patches
Last patch: March 2022
£60-130
Typical UK refurb price
A new Samsung A16 5G costs about the same
What you take on with an S9 in 2026
Three problems the S9 has that the S9 in 2020 did not
The S9 was a great phone in 2018. The hardware has not changed. What has changed is everything Android does to keep apps secure. The S9 is now on the wrong side of all three.
Problem 1 . Banking and ID apps fail Play Integrity
Most UK bank apps refuse to run
Since 2023, Android uses Play Integrity API to verify that a device is running an up-to-date, untampered version of Android. The S9 is stuck on Android 10 with a March 2022 security patch level. Banks (Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds, NatWest, Monzo, Starling, Revolut), the NHS App, government Gov.UK Verify, Tesco Clubcard and most insurance apps now reject devices that fail Play Integrity. The app may install but refuse to launch.
Problem 2 . Four years of unpatched vulnerabilities
Every CVE since March 2022 is unfixed
Google publishes a new Android security bulletin every month, typically patching 30 to 60 vulnerabilities. The S9 has missed roughly 50 monthly bulletins and around 2,000 individual security fixes. Many are critical (remote code execution, privilege escalation). A phone in this state should not be used to handle email, photos, payment cards or family communications.
Problem 3 . Battery age
An 8-year-old battery is well past its rated life
The S9\'s 3,000 mAh battery is rated for around 800 full charge cycles before dropping to 80% of its original capacity. After 8 years of daily use, most original S9 batteries are well below 70%. Samsung-authorised battery replacements are no longer offered for the S9. Third-party replacements cost £40 to £60 plus labour - often more than the phone itself is worth.
Interactive decision tool
Is the Galaxy S9 still right for you?
5 yes/no questions. Clear verdict and a suggested replacement at the same price.
1
UK bank apps reject devices that fail Play Integrity. The S9 fails it.
2
A primary phone needs working banking, NHS and government apps. The S9 cannot deliver them reliably.
3
Four years of unpatched vulnerabilities is a real privacy risk. Treat it like an unlocked old laptop.
4
A brand-new Samsung Galaxy A16 5G with 5 years of updates costs around £150.
5
LineageOS still ships current Android for the S9. It removes Play Integrity friction but is a 2-3 hour technical setup.
Verdict
Suggested action
Decision logic based on Play Integrity API requirements and Samsung\'s published S9 end-of-support, verified May 2026.
If you can stretch £100 to £200 more
Four phones that still get security patches
Each pick beats the S9 on every spec that matters in 2026 - current Android, working banking apps, healthy battery. Prices are UK SIM-free, refurbished where noted.
Samsung Galaxy S22 (refurb)
~£249
Released
2022
Supported until
Android 17 (One UI 8), security to 2027
The S9's real successor. Same flagship DNA, Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, still under Samsung's 4-year update window. Refurbished from Music Magpie or CeX.
Honor 400 (new)
~£299
Released
2025
Supported until
Android 19 + 7 years promised
Brand new, not refurbished. AMOLED screen, AI camera features, full Google services and Honor's 7-year update promise. Sub-£300 from honor.com/uk.
Google Pixel 8a (refurb)
~£269
Released
2024
Supported until
Android 18, 7 years from Google
Cleanest Android experience, best mid-range camera, day-one Android updates direct from Google for 7 years. The longevity champion.
If you still want one
How to buy a refurbished Galaxy S9 safely
- 1 Buy from a UK refurbisher with 12-month warranty. Music Magpie, CeX, Back Market and Envirofone. Avoid no-name eBay sellers - the FRP lock and battery risks are higher than for an iPhone.
- 2 Pick "Excellent" grade. The S9 has a glass back that scratches and cracks easily. Lower grades often have hidden corner damage that affects the wireless charging coil.
- 3 Demand the battery health rating. An honest seller will state the battery capacity (often 75-85%). Below 75% is unusable as a daily phone without immediate replacement.
- 4 Check FRP (Factory Reset Protection) is cleared. If the seller did not properly remove their Google account, you cannot set the phone up. This is the Android equivalent of iCloud lock.
- 5 Test Play Store and a non-banking app on day one. If Play Store will not authenticate, the device may be region-locked or de-listed from Samsung\'s servers. Return it.
- 6 Do not use it for banking, ID or payment apps. Even if they install today, they may stop working at any time. Keep a separate, current phone for sensitive use.
Insider angle
Why the Galaxy S9 "feels fine" even when it is not
Turn on a Galaxy S9 in 2026 and it looks like a perfectly working phone. The AMOLED screen is still sharp, the body still feels premium, and most apps still launch. This is the trap.
What you cannot see: Play Integrity is a silent gatekeeper. A bank or government app on a failed-integrity device may simply refuse to open with a message like "device not supported". The phone does not flash a warning that says "you are running an unpatched OS". Worse, an exploit can sit on the phone for months without showing any symptom; the first sign of trouble is often when an account is drained.
Samsung\'s own logic on this is interesting. When the company stopped patching the S9 in 2022, it was still selling new units. Samsung\'s position is that a 4-year support window is generous for the Android industry (Google Pixel only started promising 7 years in 2023; OnePlus and most others still offer 3 to 4). The S9 was supported as long as Samsung promised. The problem is what UK consumers were told to expect.
The rule of thumb for any Android refurb
Look up the model on Samsung\'s "Mobile Security Updates" page (or the equivalent for any other brand) before paying. If the model is not listed as "Quarterly" or "Bi-annual", security patches have stopped. The S9 was dropped from that list in April 2022.
Galaxy S9 FAQs
The Selectra expert answers your questions
No. Samsung shipped the last security patch in March 2022 (the April 2022 security bulletin) and removed the S9 and S9+ from its security maintenance list at the same time. That is over four years without updates. The phone is officially end-of-support.
Not officially from Samsung. The S9 stopped at Android 10 (One UI 2.5, January 2020). Unofficially, the LineageOS community still maintains current Android builds for the S9 with monthly security patches. Installing LineageOS requires unlocking the bootloader, flashing a custom recovery and side-loading the ROM - allow 2 to 3 hours for the process and the phone will lose Samsung Pay and Knox-dependent features.
Most will not. Apps that use Play Integrity API (which now includes every major UK bank, the NHS App, government Gov.UK Verify, Tesco Clubcard and most insurance apps) reject devices stuck on old Android security patch levels. The app may install but refuse to launch, or show a "device not supported" error.
UK "Excellent" grade refurbished Galaxy S9 (64GB) typically runs £60 to £100. The S9+ is £90 to £140. Anything above £130 is overpriced - a refurbished S20 still gets security updates and costs about the same.
Yes. With no network connection, the lack of security patches becomes a non-issue. The S9 makes a perfectly fine offline media player, photo viewer or "kids tablet" with downloaded videos. Just keep it off Wi-Fi entirely and never log into any account from it.
The Galaxy A35 5G wins easily. It is a brand-new mid-range Samsung at around £279, with 5G, a bigger battery, a current Android version, and Samsung's commitment to 4 years of OS updates plus 5 years of security patches. The S9 saves you £150 to £200, but loses on every other dimension that matters in {{ $annee }}.
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