Qualcomm has recently announced that devices powered by its Snapdragon 8 Elite chip will enjoy a seriously extended software support. At the Snapdragon Summit 2024, Qualcomm’s Senior Vice President and General Manager of Handsets, Chris Patrick, made the announcement (via Android Authority) that the new chipset will be accompanied by eight years of software updates, security patches, and Android OS upgrades.
The longest software support in Android history
The announcement does indicate that Snapdragon 8 Elite-based devices will receive software updates for eight years, which is very significant compared with the currently applied standards across the Android ecosystem. According to Patrick, such an initiative would offer the consumer not only updates with regard to the Android OS but also security patches that can extend the usage period of the device.
Patrick added, “This support will not only extend the lifetime of devices and their sustainability but also build in consumer confidence that the device they’re buying today will have the latest software and security nearly up to a decade.” This new level of support may place Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite among the most supported Android chipsets from a software longevity perspective.
The role of smartphone manufacturers
Although it is a massive step forward by Qualcomm on extended support, still, the responsibility lies on the smartphone manufacturers to implement the updates. Qualcomm’s chips will form the infrastructure, but the manufacturers have to customize Qualcomm’s Android Board Support Package (BSP) according to their software features, skins, and updates.
Historically, some manufacturers, such as Sony, ZTE, or Motorola, did not use Qualcomm’s software capabilities at their full extent, offering only limited OS updates and security patches. Therefore, they were not offering meaningful OS upgrades and security patches to their respective devices. Although Qualcomm will provide eight years of support, that does not mean each Snapdragon 8 Elite-powered device will receive eight years of updates; it would depend on manufacturer-by-manufacturer commitment.
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Implications for device longevity
This development may have real implications for device longevity and the lifecycle of Android devices. Qualcomm support might be the kind of development that aligns with growing consumer interest in devices which last longer thus being more sustainable and economical. Qualcomm’s assurance of extending support up to eight years will benefit the customers to use a device for that duration hence potentially reducing e-waste and promoting extended usage of devices.
However, the success of this extended support in promoting device longevity will ultimately rely on manufacturers aligning their update policies with Qualcomm’s capabilities.