Google announces major news for Android users
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Google has announced that Android phones starting with the ones powered by the upcoming Snapdragon 888 Mobile Platform will support four years of Android system updates instead of the typical two to three that Android phones offer. While the actual number of updates that an Android phone supports is up to the manufacturer of that handset, today’s news indicates that newer Android models will have the ability to be updated as many as four times before losing support. That would include an extra year of OS and security updates.
Unlike Apple, which allows an iPhone model to continue to receive iOS updates until the hardware no longer can do justice to the software, Google typically ends Android support for handsets after three years. Apple has an advantage in that it not only develops iOS itself, it also is behind the design of the phone running the operating system. Google, on the other hand, does develop Android but there are quite a number of individual companies that manufacture Android phones.
To reiterate, most Android phones can be updated for as long as three years compared to approximately five years for an iPhone model. Google’s announcement today cuts that advantage from two years to just one. But before Android users start getting giddy about that extra year of support, it will be up to Android phone manufacturers to determine whether or not to allow their phones to receive four years of Android updates.
Extending the number of years that an Android phone can receive an OS update to four will reduce the number of times that an Android user is forced to buy a new phone just to receive the latest version of the Android OS.
Questions & Answers
Q.Which specific phones will be capable of receiving four years of Android system updates?
Which specific phones will be capable of receiving four years of Android system updates?
Android phones that are powered by the upcoming Snapdragon 888 Mobile Platform will be able to support four years of Android system updates. This applies to newer Android models.
Q.Who ultimately decides if an Android phone will receive four years of updates?
Who ultimately decides if an Android phone will receive four years of updates?
The decision to allow phones to receive four years of Android updates rests with the individual Android phone manufacturers. Google's announcement enables this possibility, but it is not mandatory.
Q.What is the typical update period for Android phones compared to iPhones?
What is the typical update period for Android phones compared to iPhones?
Most Android phones typically receive updates for up to three years, whereas an iPhone model usually receives approximately five years of support. Google's announcement aims to reduce this difference.
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