Article Details

Qualcomm pledges 8 years of security updates for Android kit using its chips (YMMV). Starting with Snapdragon 8 Elite and 'droid 15. It seems manufacturers are finally getting the message that people want to use their kit for longer without security issues, as Qualcomm has said it'll provide Android software updates, including vulnerability fixes, for its latest chipsets for eight years instead of four. Lack of support for older kit has been a huge pain for those who are happy with non-cutting-edge hardware that works well enough, but still want security patches and other bug fixes and aren't too fussed about new functionality. Now Qualcomm, which provides chips for most of the major Android smartphone makers, is doubling down, perhaps recognizing that we all live in thriftier times. Or we're tired of devices being menaced by security holes. "Qualcomm Technologies is excited to take this step forward, working closely with Google to facilitate the latest Android OS upgrades on devices with Snapdragon," said Chris Patrick, GM of mobile handsets at the chip biz, this week. "With this advancement, we are raising the bar, providing more flexibility for our OEMs and ultimately enhancing user experiences. We’re excited to see more OEM devices that support Android OS longevity soon." There are, as ever, some terms and conditions. The eight-year pledge only applies to devices using Arm-compatible Snapdragon 8 Elite silicon and running Android 15, such as the Samsung Galaxy S25 that The Register had a play with last month. Future iterations of the Snapdragon 8 and 7-series that'll ship later this year will also be covered by the new arrangement. Also, it's very much down to who you buy from. Qualcomm will make Android software updates available, but it's down to device makers to actually follow through and push these patches to people's handsets. However, "Qualcomm Technologies is already seeing commitments from OEMs to keep their devices available to consumers for longer," the US silicon shifter said. As even a cursory look at the monthly Android patch releases shows, Qualcomm does a lot of fixing up. And while Google is now using its own Tensor processor silicon (supported by the web giant for seven years) for the latest in the Pixel smartphone line, it still uses a lot of Qualcomm components, meaning future Google devices will benefit from the eight-year promise. "Qualcomm Technologies' efforts to extend the lifespan of Android devices are a key step for increasing the longevity of smartphones," said Seang Chau, GM of Android Platform. "Through this collaboration, OEMs can more seamlessly update the software and security on their devices, ensuring a more secure and long-lasting Android experience for our users." It's good news for other manufacturers, such as Samsung and OnePlus, who update the software for their Android-powered offerings regularly, as Qualcomm says it will provide them "two upgrades to the mobile platform’s Android Common Kernel (ACK) to support the eight-year window." "The kernel is the core of every OS, and these ACK kernel upgrades for Android OS will allow OEMs to provide security for their devices longer," Qualy added. It'll also put pressure on those manufacturers who have been tardy with updates - we're looking at you Sony, with just two years of support on some handsets.