Google announces 10 years of ChromeOS support on Chromebooks
If you’re tired of the same old story about Google Chromebooks software support expiring too soon, you’ll be happy by today’s news. Google announced 10 years of ChromeOS support on Chromebooks. That should help squash the “Chromebooks are e-waste” meme to a large degree. School IT admins checking the software expiration date before making purchases would help too.
As always, the devil’s usually in the details, so let’s go through Google’s announcement.
First, all Chromebooks released from 2021 will automatically have a 10-year Chromebook AUE date. That’s up from 8, which is up from the previous 6. So that’s fantastic if you bought a new ChromeOS device that officially launched in or after 2021.
What about older Chromebooks? Great question. And I think Google has a pretty great answer:
For Chromebooks released before 2021 and already in use, users and IT admins will have the option to extend automatic updates to 10 years from the platform’s release (after they receive their last automatic update).
Now, there is one footnote to the above info for older devices. And I can understand it because of old hardware components that are in some, but not all, older ChromeOS devices:
A small selection of device platforms may not receive the full 10 years of automatic updates, and some features and services may not be supported.
Google is pointing folks to its Help Center for additional info on older devices. And you can see on that page which Chromebooks will have to opt in for the additional support.
I did a quick scan and see that Google’s own Chromebooks from the Pixelbook on are “opt in” devices. They will now get support through 2027.
While not every single old Chromebook will qualify for the 10 years of ChromeOS support, this is still a big deal.
As Google notes, this is longer than any other operating system commits to in advance. Yes, you can more easily re-purpose an old PC or Mac than you can a Chromebook. I don’t see that changing. And if that bums you out, then… don’t buy a Chromebook, I guess.
For the rest of us that appreciate the security, simplicity and speed of ChromeOS, 10 years of ChromeOS support on Chromebooks is a very welcome surprise.
Great News 🙂
“This is still a big deal.”
Yes, it is. Most, but not all, of the grumbling will stop now. But many ISDs would probably like to continue repairing and reissuing Chromebooks as long as a library book (eww, nasty). The AUE date is probably much more of an ecological issue than an economic issue. It wouldn’t surprise me for the industry, at some point, to be required to develop some sort of industry-supported program to offset costs for device recycling and disposal.
For true environmentally friendly stuff in all areas governments will have to intervene, firms just lie and forget they are lying, most likely it will be too late though (as with most government things, voters are slow learners).
In terms of tech full Cloud OS will be best, even less processing than now locally, more like Stadia. Consumers can be trusted even less to do the right or efficient thing. Google will be much more efficient at making full Cloud servers that can last or be made from sustainable stuff. But if the government doesn’t push it this wont happen, someone or something needs to jump start the cycle into doing what’s right.
The world really needs a Bond Villain…..
This is great news!
I hope Google will follow up with extending support for phones as well. For example my 2.5 year old Pixel 4a which stopped getting security updates last month.
Curious, my HP Chromebase purchased last year, since I got it, is only showing 6 years, expiring in 2028!
According to the howtogeek article on this:
“This change will apply beginning in 2024, but since it’ll apply to the Chromebook you currently have, so really, you just need to wait.”
So might have to wait a while for details to show up on screen.
Bought my first C-Book in Dec. 2012. Mightily “P/O’d” that it “expired” within 3-years! Kept on buying them, though, because they are excellent for many things I do, and they are cheap to buy, and they were improved upon constantly, but the short “end-of-life” covenant always irked me. Now with a 10-yr. end-of-life guarantee I can finally recommend them to anyone as a “go-to” device. (Along with your Windows or Mac PC, of course.)👍
I am happy to hear this. My Pixel Book Go is a stalwart for me, so long support time is welcome.
So my Acer CB314-1HT gets 2029 according to the AUE site; but 2027 according to the device itself…so now it’s 2032 instead (it was released 2 days before christmas 2022)
No, the CB314-1H is a Gemini Lake Refresh platform model which launched in 2019. It doesn’t matter when you purchased it; the new AUE is correctly stated as 2029. Newer models 2H, 3H and 4H have later AUE dates set 10 years from their respective platform launches. As for the 1H, the revised AUE should show on the device when Google pushes it out in a future OS update. The code to match the announcement just made has to be merged into an upstream milestone, 118 for example, which is currently in the dev channel.
I appreciate the comment but it says right on my device ‘CB314-1HT-C3ET manufactured date: 2022/12/23″ and according to device.report: Model Number CB314-1HT-C3ET Year of Release 2022
I can take a picture and upload it to google photos if you’d like.
I have an Asus CT100 Chromebook that I bought new in 2019, which was the first year of production. According to the AUE website, my Chromebook expires this year and received no extension after the recent announcement. That is only 4 years of life. Mine is a relatively inexpensive Chromebook, but it still works fine for my purposes (mostly for reading e-books and editing documents). Does this announcement only apply to high-end Chromebooks?
It’s possible that Google hasn’t yet updated all of the new AUE dates, or that a few slipped through the cracks. You’re right that this device launched in 2019, so from what I can see, the software support date should be extended.
My Acer Spin 713 now good through 2031! Hope I’ll last that long!
Pixelbook Go AUE has changed now.. August 2029 .