Google wants all Android phones to get updates for 7 years
Qualcomm this week announced its new high-end mobile processor for 2024 and 2025, the Snapdragon 8 Elite, which is much more powerful and efficient than the Snapdragon 8 Gen and will receive updates for 8 years, which should allow smartphones equipped with this processor to receive up to 8 new versions of Android.
Well, Google now wants to take it a step further, as its goal is to allow all chip manufacturers to offer 7-year updates on their mobile devices, something that would allow all Android phones, not just Samsung and Google phones, to receive OS updates for 7 years.
A recent report shared by Android expert Mishaal Rahman at Android Authority reveals that Google has been working on an innovative program called “Longevity GRF” since the beginning of the year that will allow mobile processor manufacturers to support phones for 7 years of Android updates.
Longevity GRF builds on GRF, a program Google launched in 2020 to make it easier for chip vendors like Qualcomm and MediaTek to support 3 years of Android updates. To achieve this goal, the program provided support for different versions of the operating system on a single chip, and thanks to it, Android updates have been able to reach a large number of Android phones early over the past four years.
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Longevity GRF expands this initial support by allowing, starting with Android 15, reuse of processor manufacturers' software for 7 Android updates and for all smartphones on the market to receive OS updates up to Android 22.
Therefore, brands like Xiaomi, OPPO, OnePlus, realme or HONOR will be able to benefit from the “Longevity GRF” program.
In short, the new LGRF standard will allow mobile processor software to be reused for seven Android updates without making any hardware changes. A mobile phone launched on Android 15 could receive support up to Android 22.