Google extends Chromebooks' software support to 10 years

Today Google announced a new 10-year software support for Chromebooks and pledged to make the devices even more sustainable and reduce the cost of ownership even further.

Arguably, the 10-year software support is the most interesting bit of all. Every Chromebook released after 2021 will get free monthly updates for 10 years. Devices produced before 2021 will still get the chance for extended software support as long as users and IT admins extend the automatic updates to 10 years after they've received the last update. However, these extensions won't ensure that all new features will work on older Chromebooks.

Google says it has worked closely with vendor partners to ensure the long software support as it requires compatibility with all hardware, such as Wi-Fi modems, CPUs, etc.

The search giant is also working to ensure easy and timely repairs. Since Chromebooks are quite popular in the educational sector, many schools use them and rely on in-house repairs. In fact, about 80% of the US schools offer some in-house repairs. Chromebook parts are easy to find through the Chromebook Repair Program and it doesn't require a physical USB key to make the repairs. This reduces the time away from the classroom.

In the coming months, Google will push updates that aim to improve energy efficiency of the devices. It will implement features that would preserve battery life and turn off energy-intensive processes.

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