Google doubles down on Chromebooks with 10-year software support
Google is strengthening its commitment to Chromebooks by providing a full decade of software support for these devices.
Starting in 2024, Google is set to revolutionize the longevity of Chromebooks by offering a continuous stream of software updates for a full decade after a product's launch. However, as is typical with Google, the rules governing this extension are far from straightforward.
Google doubles down on Chromebooks with 10-year software support
If you're the owner of a Chromebook that hit the market in 2021 or later, you're in luck—automatic ten-year support is on the horizon. No need to ask any questions. However, if you happen to possess a device released prior to 2021, there's a bit of complexity involved. You have the option to "extend automatic updates to 10 years from [a] platform's release" after it has received its final patch. Here's where the waters get murky.
Google's definition of "platforms" can vary from one Chromebook to another, encompassing hardware components and software unique to each manufacturer and model. This means that an HP Chromebook may not necessarily enjoy the same level of support as a Lenovo counterpart, and vice versa.
To determine precisely how many years of support your specific laptop will receive, you'll need to embark on a quest to the Auto Update policy page on Google's Help Center website, where your Chromebook model holds the key to unlocking this vital information.
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