Google extends Chromebook update support, Extended from 8 years to 10 years

Google has declared that commencing next year, Chromebooks launched in 2021 or later will be graced with a decade of automatic updates, a notable extension from the current eight-year span. This augmentation comes on the heels of mounting criticism from consumers and educational patrons regarding the Chromebook’s longevity, manifesting as a rectification in response to a barrage of grievances.

Google avers that its ten-year pledge surpasses any existing support duration promised by other operating systems. Apple’s macOS typically enjoys a lifespan of seven to eight years, with the impending macOS Sonoma necessitating a minimum requirement of a 2017 iMac Pro. Microsoft, regarding its Windows operating system, has traditionally embraced a more fluid stance, with the duration being contingent upon specific circumstances. Notwithstanding, the contemporary Windows 11 now imposes stringent criteria, rendering many eligible devices obsolete, although users have the latitude to harness alternative stratagems to circumnavigate these constraints.

While Google proclaims an elongated update support for Chromebooks released in 2021, they caveat that “certain features and services might remain unsupported.” Moreover, after receiving the initially projected final update, users will be compelled to manually enable extensions. Google continues to underscore that these Chromebooks remain fortified with “robust intrinsic security measures,” such as verified boot, which scrutinizes the operating system for potential tampering.

This year, the Public Interest Research Group’s Education Fund in the United States disseminated a report, contending that Chromebooks surpassing their support duration have engendered copious electronic waste, imposing supplementary costs on schools. In tandem, the organization championed a ten-year automatic update tenure and, through standardized design, has streamlined the reparability of Chromebooks.