Your next Android phone could get up to eight years of software updates – but there are catches

Phones running Snapdragon 8 Elite Chip can get up to eight years of software support.
This will expand to future Android phones running Qualcomm Chips.
However, someone will actually use a phone for eight years? We are not that sure.

More and more Android phones could come up with longer software and security support thanks to a partnership between Google and Qualcomm.

The essence of this partnership means that the two companies will aim to expand software and security support to devices running Snapdragon chips for up to eight years consecutive updates. The first phones that fall into this initiative will be the ones that sports with flagship quality Snapdragon Elite 8-Chipset, with the partnership set to cover the next five generations of Qualcomm Chips.

“What this means is that support for platform software included in this program will be made available to OEMs for eight consecutive years, including both Android OS and Kernel upgrades, without requiring significant changes or upgrades to the platform and OEM code on the device, “explained Qualcomm, and noted:” This software support may lower the cost of OEMs that are interested in supporting their devices longer and can show consumers the benefits of Snapdragon -Mobile Processors and Software Support. “

In short, this trait should help expand Android Smartphone’s lifetime. Given that phones have generally become so iterative in the new features they offer, and how much of a step they offer over their predecessors, there is more opportunity for people to hold on to their phones for a longer period of time.

Lack of software and security support stymie this something, but with them like the Samsung Galaxy S25 series and Google Pixel 9, which already offers seven years plus support, such a problem could be sent to the virtual bone.

However, there are two ‘but’ for this situation. The first is that it is ultimately up to telephone manufacturers to decide how they implement software support, with some still hanging afterwards and even OnePlus that acknowledges that it does not feel the need to give more than four years of software support.

The second is based on the latter point that eight years are the age of a smartphone, with a lithium-ion battery that probably worn out in that time and struggles to have a decent charge for a phone unless it becomes replaced, and software progress as baked-in AI features tend to require more powerful chips. So a smartphone is unlikely to last for most eight years unless they use it very sparingly and have no interest in the latest software features.

Nevertheless, at a time when there is concern about electronic waste and the environmental impact of technology, this partnership between Google and Qualcomm is a positive step forward to making smartphones more sustainable as it certainly does not look like the world’s appetite for them away anytime soon. When we talk about it, check out our Roundup of the best phones if you are on the market for a new device.

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