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Something to look forward to: Modern mobile platforms are more robust than ever, but Android support remains a sore spot and a potential ticking time bomb depending on the model and make of your device. Now Google and Qualcomm, two major forces in the mobile ecosystem, seem willing to change the status quo, though a few caveats remain.
Qualcomm and Google have announced a partnership to significantly improve official Android support, offering “up to” eight years of software and security updates for eligible devices. Needless to say, this extended support timeline does not apply to older smartphones. Manufacturers could still opt out, forcing customers to buy the latest devices to access the newest Android releases.
Qualcomm says that consumers now rely on their smartphones for virtually everything in their daily lives and, as a result, want to get the most out of their devices for longer periods. The new eight-year support plan will cover phones built on the Snapdragon 8 Elite mobile platform, an SoC announced on October 22, 2024, and used in recent products such as the OnePlus 13 and Samsung Galaxy S25.
Android 15 will be the first OS release to receive extended support, Qualcomm confirms, while devices featuring Snapdragon 8 and Snapdragon 7-series chips will join the plan later this year. Since Snapdragon 8 and 7 SoCs are found in high-end smartphones, there will likely be no “budget” Qualcomm products enjoying the extra Android updates in the future.
The new program also includes two upgrades to the Android Common Kernels. While Google will guarantee access to the latest Android releases for several more years, the decision to adopt the extended support plan will ultimately rest with OEM manufacturers.
Qualcomm clarified that other “legacy” SoCs will not be eligible for the program. As demonstrated by Google’s recent mandatory update for Pixel 4a battery controls, older devices may experience unexpected issues when handling newer software patches.
Qualcomm also stated that this enhanced Android support aligns with major security initiatives in the U.S. and Europe and can improve both hardware and software safety. In reality, the U.S. chip designer is merely aligning with the extended support already provided by the biggest players in the Android ecosystem.
Samsung and Google already offer seven years of Android security and software updates – bringing their policies more in line with the standard update and upgrade cycles enforced by Microsoft in the Windows ecosystem.
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