Updates have not been a major strength in the Android universe to date. Although Google has been trying to improve the supply of updates since the early days of its operating system, many manufacturers found the effort too high. This is partly due to the SoC manufacturers, who are happy to save on the expensive development of updates for their chipsets.
For example, the Fairphone 5 (review) uses Qualcomm’s QCM6490 SoC, which is actually intended for use in cars. Due to the much longer-term use, the manufacturer must also ensure that its chips are updated for a correspondingly longer period of time.
Long-Term Updates Coming to Mid-Range SoCs Too
The developer of the Snapdragon chips, which are used in a large number of smartphones, has now announced that the update period for its chips will be significantly extended. Even the manufacturer’s current top-of-the-range model, the Snapdragon Elite 8, will receive security updates from the US chip developer over a period of eight years, as well as being adapted to the latest Android versions.
However, it is not only the expensive high-end smartphones that will benefit from improved support from Qualcomm. The upcoming Snapdragon 7 series chips will also be maintained over a period of eight years.
Updates Enable Longer Smartphone Lifespan
For smartphone manufacturers, updating the SoC with its many functional units is crucial. Only if the chip developer provides the necessary adaptations can they keep their devices up to date in the long term.
Qualcomm is therefore following the trend toward greater sustainability and, not the least, meeting the wishes of users. After all, they are looking for more sustainability beyond advertising messages. According to the latest figures, 27% of users last year used a smartphone that had been in use for at least two years. In 2022, this figure was 11% lower.
The extension of the support period for smartphone chips cannot therefore be considered a gracious gesture by manufacturers. Rather, it follows changing usage habits.
