Software support for Android smartphones has improved significantly in recent years, led by Google and Samsung. While the latter now guarantee seven years of updates on their high-end devices, Qualcomm wants to go even further. The chipmaker announces that smartphones equipped with its Snapdragon 8 Elite will be able to receive up to eight years of Android updates and security patches. But the final decision is not up to them.
Qualcomm facilitates extended software support Android…
Qualcomm's big announcement is the Snapdragon 8 Elite, a high-end chip that will be able to receive updates for eight years. But that doesn't automatically mean that all phones equipped with this chip will receive such support. In fact, Qualcomm is building the infrastructure necessary to simplify the task for manufacturers, who remain the sole decision makers.
In collaboration with Google, Qualcomm has been working on the integration of "two Android Common Kernel" (ACK) upgrades to ensure this software longevity. This saves manufacturers from having to make complex changes, allowing them to offer updates more easily and at a lower cost.
Other Snapdragon chips, including those in the 8 and 7 series that will be launched this year, will also be able to benefit from this program. However, only new generations of smartphones marketed directly with Android 15 will be affected.
... But the choice is up to the manufacturers.
While this initiative marks a turning point for Android smartphone software support, it does not guarantee that all models will benefit from eight years of updates. Manufacturers will have to decide whether they really want to offer such support to their users.
Qualcomm's goal is to reduce the technical and financial constraints associated with these extended updates, which could convince more manufacturers to follow this trend. With Google's collaboration, this program should also extend to the next five generations of Snapdragon chips.
Enough to strengthen the longevity of Android smartphones compared to the iPhone, often recognized for the longevity of its software support. It remains to see if manufacturers will adopt this new policy for their future models.
Source: Qualcomm
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