Google mandates Android OEMs to provide patches to their phones for 2 years after launch

[D13H4RD]

Maybe not something interesting if you've owned a flagship phone for the past couple but it's still something.

 

Possibly a result from the outcome of the EU's lawsuit against Google for having Google Search and Chrome as default options on Android, a new clause was found on Google's European contract for OEMs installing Google Services with certification from Google stating that these Android phones must be updated with security patches for 2 years with new patches delivered no more than 90 days after launch.

Quote

The terms cover any device launched after January 31st, 2018 that’s been activated by more than 100,000 users. Starting July 31st, the patching requirements were applied to 75 percent of a manufacturer’s “security mandatory models.” Starting on January 31st, 2019, Google will require that all security mandatory devices receive these updates.

Manufacturers have to patch flaws identified by Google within a specific timeframe. By the end of each month, covered devices must be protected against all vulnerabilities identified more than 90 days ago. That means that, even without an annual update minimum, this rolling window mandates that devices are regularly patched. Additionally, devices must launch with this same level of bug fix coverage. If manufacturers fail to keep their devices updated, Google says it could withhold approval of future phones, which could prevent them from being released.

Whilst the clause is found in the European contract, it's likely that this clause affects Android devices sold in many parts of the world. So if you have an Android device purchased after January 31st of next year, in theory, you should at least be getting security patches for 2 years with a timeframe between them of no more than 90 days (for the first year)

 

Source: The Verge

 

D13H4RD's opinion

Spoiler

This is a solid step towards ensuring less fragmentation of different security patches between Android devices, but 2 years is not long enough IMHO. Yes, you can make the argument that after 2 years, people tend to dump their phones anyhow, but in an age where even midrange phones have more than enough silicon performance to keep choo-chooing along for years and could withstand 4 years of updates if given the chance, I can't see why they're still sticking to the general 2-3 years of updates rule.

 

A lot of it might be due to chipset vendors, but with Treble decoupling the vendors partition from the OS layer, meaning updated vendor drivers are not necessary for a new build of an Android-based OS, I don't think 2-3 years will cut it anymore, especially on phones that cost close to or over $1000. Google and OnePlus are arguably ahead of most by providing 3 feature updates alongside 3 years of security patch support, but starting here, 4 years of patches should be aimed for.

 

[Drak3]

I'd rather see a mandate that updates can no longer be forced on users.

[D13H4RD]

1 minute ago, Drak3 said:

I'd rather see a mandate that updates can no longer be forced on users.

Don't give them ideas.

 

They might make it so that a phone can brick if not updated.

[Guest]

Great news for budget phones, especially in that emerging India market with the Oppo and other great low budget phones. It means you can get a low cost phone and keep it supported to make the most of it.

[D13H4RD]

1 minute ago, RorzNZ said:

Great news for budget phones, especially in that emerging India market with the Oppo and other great low budget phones. It means you can get a low cost phone and keep it supported to make the most of it.

I actually had one of those phones.

 

Even though it never received an update beyond Android 6.0.1, it did end up receiving security patches even today, nearly 2 years after I first booted it up

[Bouzoo]

2 hours ago, Drak3 said:

I'd rather see a mandate that updates can no longer be forced on users.

They can't. You can disable update checker so you won't even get notifications for updates unless you manually search for them. Iirc it has been like that since always. 

[AlTech]

@D13H4RD2L1V3 I think you're mistaken considering OnePlus's official policy is 2 Major OS Updates and 2 years of bug fixes released bi-monthly.

[D13H4RD]

3 hours ago, AluminiumTech said:

@D13H4RD2L1V3 I think you're mistaken considering OnePlus's official policy is 2 Major OS Updates and 2 years of bug fixes released bi-monthly.

OnePlus 3 is slated to receive Pie

 

So that makes it 3 major OS upgrades since it has Nougat, Oreo and Pie.

 

It could be the exception rather than the norm, though 

[Sauron]

Halleluja!

[Drak3]

8 hours ago, Bouzoo said:

They can't. You can disable update checker so you won't even get notifications for updates unless you manually search for them. Iirc it has been like that since always. 

Verizon and AT&T both will force OTA updates to users stock phones regardless of phone settings.

 

I don't want phones to become superheated paperweights every time there's a version update to Android, ie every single fucking year.

[porina]

11 hours ago, D13H4RD2L1V3 said:

2 years is not long enough IMHO.

Agree with this part. 2 years from end of life sounds more reasonable to me, given these phones may be actively marketed for a year or so.

 

To clarify before anyone misunderstands that, it doesn't mean 2 years from the last ever phone sold. It means 2 years from when they say, the product marketing life is over. There may still be quantities in the marketplace but it shouldn't be actively promoted by that point. Let the last units go out probably at some discount.

[Guest]

I would say thanks.
The problem is with OEM's especially the cheap chinese ones, they tend just to compile the android source code (basically just because it costs almost nothing)  with sh*tty driver support or even stealing other people ones because are free to use, like mediatek 
Updates? Lmao, just give us the $$$ 

[AlTech]

15 minutes ago, D13H4RD2L1V3 said:

OnePlus 3 is slated to receive Pie

 

So that makes it 3 major OS upgrades since it has Nougat, Oreo and Pie.

 

It could be the exception rather than the norm, though 

Their official policy still only states 2 Major OS Updates and 2 years of bi-monthly security updates.

 

And fyi, they straight up said on Twitter many months ago that the OnePlus 3 (and 3T) weren't getting anything beyond Oreo when asked if it would get further OS update support.

 

They were very much planning to keep that promise and only provide security fixes as well as Android 8.1 eventually. Not exactly sure what changed their mind since they were kind of dicks about it at the time.

[Arika]

yay. my phone was released feb 2018

[D13H4RD]

1 minute ago, AluminiumTech said:

And fyi, they straight up said on Twitter many months ago that the OnePlus 3 (and 3T) weren't getting anything beyond Oreo when asked if it would get further OS update support.

They probably changed it since, because they pretty much confirmed the 3 and 3T will get Pie. I recall Pete Lau even saying it himself

 

https://forums.oneplus.com/threads/android-p-is-coming-to-the-oneplus-3-and-3t.879545/

[AlTech]

Just now, D13H4RD2L1V3 said:

They probably changed it since, because they pretty much confirmed the 3 and 3T will get Pie. I recall Pete Lau even saying it himself

 

https://forums.oneplus.com/threads/android-p-is-coming-to-the-oneplus-3-and-3t.879545/

Oh. lol. Just read it and by the sounds of things they didn't really change their mind so much as they were forced to.

 

What I got from what you linked makes it seem they only are offering Pie because it would be too much effort to push Android 8.1 to 3 and 3T as well as Android 9.0 to 5, 5T, and 6.

[Jtalk4456]

@DrMacintosh I know updating/support (if you aren't one who hates updates) is one area iOS shines, so can you give some comparison with how long iOS is typically supported? 

It's certainly a step in the right direction, but where does it compare to apple os support length

 

Also in general I'd like to point out that this says "security updates", so i'm assuming we're not talking major updates like pie, but rather just making sure they continue to get security updates within the OS version the device is already on. Feel free, anyone, to correct me if i'm wrong there.

[D13H4RD]

10 minutes ago, Jtalk4456 said:

@DrMacintosh I know updating/support (if you aren't one who hates updates) is one area iOS shines, so can you give some comparison with how long iOS is typically supported? 

It's certainly a step in the right direction, but where does it compare to apple os support length

5 years if the 5s is any indication 

[suicidalfranco]

If it's 2 years of security updates, sure go ahead. 2 years of OS upgrades, no, hell no!

[Doobeedoo]

Great. But can we see phonea getting more Android version updates though. 

[Drak3]

1 hour ago, Jtalk4456 said:

I'd like to point out that this says "security updates",

The only updates worth caring about on Android.

 

1 hour ago, Jtalk4456 said:

know updating/support (if you aren't one who hates updates) is one area iOS shines

On the surface, but the ultimate is that Apple kinda has to in order to play catch up to Android Kitkat, and more importantly, TouchWiz circa 2014.

[DrMacintosh]

1 hour ago, Jtalk4456 said:

so can you give some comparison with how long iOS is typically supported? 

5 years is the precedent for longest supported iPhone. Most iPhones are still able to run the latest apps for a few years after they loose support as well since Apps are developed for minimum OS requirements which are currently at iOS 9. 

[Blackie Sheen]

I still find it kind of not enough. That means that for a phone bought on a 2 year contract, excepting phones bought on launch, you've got support for less than the duration of the contract which is dumb. 

 

To me it should be 3 years from launch as a minimum. That would mean a count a maximum time frame of 1 year since the launch of the phone for purchasing the phone and getting security updates during the entirety of your contract which I think is reasonable

[vorticalbox]

4 hours ago, Drak3 said:

Verizon and AT&T both will force OTA updates to users stock phones regardless of phone settings.

 

I don't want phones to become superheated paperweights every time there's a version update to Android, ie every single fucking year.

Install netguard, it's  firewall that acts like a vpn so it can block apps from connecting to the internet. If you drop some money  you can even block individual urls for the app.

 

This is lastpass.

 

[AlTech]

3 hours ago, suicidalfranco said:

If it's 2 years of security updates, sure go ahead. 2 years of OS upgrades, no, hell no!

Why not?