Qualcomm wants to bring longer Android support to more phones

More Android phones could soon supply longer life support updates acknowledgment to a caller statement betwixt Qualcomm and Google. Qualcomm announced connected Monday that “up to 8 consecutive years of package and information updates” will beryllium disposable to Android phones moving connected early Snapdragon 8 and Snapdragon 7-series chips.

As Android master Mishall Rahman points out, the “eight consecutive years” is simply a small misleading present because Qualcomm includes the twelvemonth connected which a instrumentality is released. That intends the instrumentality tin beryllium supported for 8 years, but person 7 years of Android type upgrades — bringing much Android phones successful statement pinch the 7 years of support provided connected Google’s Pixel 8 and Pixel 9 lineup.

Qualcomm mentioned its support description plans successful October, which started pinch devices moving connected Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Mobile Platform. That includes the Samsung Galaxy S25 series, Xiaomi 15 Series, OnePlus 13, and Asus ROG Phone 9.

Today’s announcement extends that work to further chipsets, but it’s important to statement that eligible phones aren’t guaranteed to person expanded support updates. This update makes it easier and much affordable for telephone manufacturers to supply users pinch longer support, but Qualcomm says that it’s yet up to instrumentality makers to determine whether they connection it connected circumstantial telephone models.

“Support for level package included successful this programme will beryllium made disposable to OEMs for 8 consecutive years, including some Android OS and kernel upgrades, without requiring important changes aliases upgrades to the level and OEM codification connected the device,” Qualcomm said.

Phones moving older Snapdragon chips won’t beryllium eligible for early support upgrades according to Qualcomm. The biggest caveat to each this beyond hoping instrumentality makers really instrumentality the expanded support update is that very fewer phones are apt to support moving for the afloat 8 years. But if you’re committed to reducing e-waste and continually repairing your Android phone, astatine slightest the action will beryllium there.