Historically, Android phones have not had very long lifespans. A race to introduce new phones meant most older models lost software support long before the hardware became outdated, and some phones from the past have never seen a software update.
Things gradually improved, and you can expect some level of future-proofing when buying a new Android phone. Update promises range from two years for companies like Sony or Realme to seven years for Google's Pixel 8 and Samsung's Galaxy S series phones.
