Chromebooks now with 10 years of support

Google has announced a big change for Chromebooks that could help them last a few years longer. Starting in 2024, ChromeOS devices will be eligible for automatic security updates for up to 10 years after their release. Chromebooks released in 2021 or later will receive all updates. Owners of older devices will have the option to manually select individual updates.

The company currently provides eight years of automatic updates for Chromebooks. But that period starts when the company certifies the Chromebook, not when it's actually in the owner's hands. Because of the time it takes for schools and businesses to purchase, receive, set up, and deploy new computer systems, they typically only get four to five years of real life from Chromebooks.

Poročilo z naslovom “Chromebook Churn”, ki ga je objavil ameriški Sklad za izobraževanje v javnem interesu, je sprožilo veliko razpravo o vplivu ChromeOS na okolje v izobraževalnem sektorju. Ocenjuje, da bi “podvojitev življenjske dobe Chromebookov lahko prinesla 1,8 milijarde dolarjev prihrankov za davkoplačevalce”. Čeprav dve dodatni leti nista podvojitev, je to zagotovo korak v pravo smer, kar bi lahko vodilo v velike prihranke in zmanjšanje števila elektronskih odpadkov.

Google v svojem sporočilu za javnost prav tako navaja, da “ima Chromebook še vedno močne vgrajene varnostne funkcije, tudi če ne prejema več samodejnih posodobitev.”

Google pravi, da uvaja tudi posodobitve svojega programa za popravilo Chromebookov, ki bodo tehnikom omogočile izvedbo popravil programske opreme brez fizičnega USB ključa. Podjetje ocenjuje, da bo to pospešilo popravila za “več kot 50 %”.

In the coming months, additional features will be available to improve energy efficiency, including adaptive charging to maintain battery health and a new power saving mode.