Google will deliver 10 years of automatic updates for Chromebooks

Today, Google announced that Chromebooks will get regular automatic updates for 10 years, which is much more than any other consumer operating system. In addition, Google is working with OEMs to build Chromebooks with more post-consumer recycled materials (PCR), and rolling out new, power-efficient features and easier ways to repair them.

Already, Chromebooks get automatic security updates every four weeks. Starting next year, Google is extending those automatic updates for 10 years after the platform was released. To ensure compatibility with its updates, Google is working with all the laptop component manufacturers within a platform (for things like the processor and Wi-Fi) to develop and test the software on every single Chromebook.

Here’s what Google is promising:

• Starting in 2024, if you have Chromebooks that were released from 2021 onwards, you’ll automatically get 10 years of updates.
• 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).

Google is releasing new repair flows that will allow authorized repair centers and school technicians to repair Chromebooks without a physical USB key. This new process will reduce the time required for software repairs by over 50%.

In the coming months, Google will release new energy-efficient features including Adaptive charging that will help preserve battery health, battery saver that will reduce or turn off energy-intensive processes and more.

Google also highlighted that Chromebooks are the best choice for education customers as they offer low total cost of ownership when compared to other devices.

Chromebooks include lower upfront costs than other devices: a 55% lower device cost and a 57% lower cost of operations. Over three years, Chromebooks save more than $800 in operating costs per device compared to others