Google will now offer Chromebook updates for 10 years

Good news: Your new Chromebook will probably last longer than that old can of yams in your pantry.

Google announced Thursday that it’s extending the shelf life for all its recent laptops by a decade. This means that your 2021 Chromebook model will be eligible for software support until 2031.

“Chromebooks get automatic updates every four weeks that make your laptop more secure and help it last longer. And starting next year, we’re extending those automatic updates so your Chromebook gets enhanced security, stability and features for 10 years after the platform was released,” the company said.

As IT Brew recently reported, Google has been under fire for what advocates deem arbitrary device death dates, after which a lack of security support can make accessing websites and testing portals nearly impossible. That’s an especially big problem for school districts that invested heavily in Chromebooks during the pandemic and parents who might’ve unwittingly bought an outdated device for their child.

Even though Chromebooks are the top device used in elementary, middle, and high schools worldwide, the company’s laptops generally cease to receive support after four to eight years.

Lucas Gutterman, director of US PIRG’s Designed to Last program, called Google’s longer support window a “victory.”

“With a lifespan of 10 years, fewer working laptops will be disposed of because they’ve reached their ‘death date,” he said in a statement. “Google and other tech companies should continue to innovate ways to commit to a circular economy.”

Gutterman noted that Google shouldn’t stop there. He said its next frontier should be standardizing device components, making them easier to repair and replace with spare parts.

Google said in its announcement that Chromebooks are a “sustainable choice” as they include “recycled materials that reduce their environmental impact and repair programs that help them last longer.” Google is introducing a new protocol that will “allow authorized repair centers and school technicians to repair Chromebooks without a physical USB key,” the company said, and it also plans to roll out battery- and energy-saving settings soon.