7 years of Android updates might become the new norm thanks to Google's Longevity Requirements Freeze

Most devices today become obsolete not because of wear and tear or damage, but from a lack of software support. The norm up until a few years ago was for two to three years of OS updates, but Google and Samsung are changing that.

Mountain View-based Google was first to officially extend support for its flagships in 2023, announcing that the Pixel 8 series will have seven years of guaranteed Android OS and security updates until October 2030. What was surprising was that Google extended the same support to its mid-range Pixel 8a as well, marking a major change in our expectations of the tech giant.

Samsung followed suit by announcing seven years of OS and security updates for the S24, S24+ and S24 Ultra, with the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Fold 6 gaining the same support.

Google's latest Pixel 9 series, as expected, also offers extended OS and security updates, well into 2031, but that isn't the tech giant's end goal. It wants more smartphones and their buyers to benefit with seven years of updates.

As highlighted by Mishaal Rahman in a report for Android Authority, the tech giant wants to make it easier for other OEMs to offer seven years of updates for their devices, and it is doing so with the Longevity Google Requirements Freeze (LGRF).

For reference, back in 2020, Google launched GRF, which essentially laid down the groundwork for longer support that we're enjoying today. The requirement freeze made it easier for chip manufacturers like Qualcomm and MediaTek to support multiple OS iterations with a single chipset. This ensured that chip vendors didn't need to update vendor-side software for at least three iterations of Android.

Cue Longevity Google Requirements Freeze

LGRF essentially allows the same chipset vendor-side software to be repurposed for seven Android version updates, up from three. This means that a device that launches with Android 15 can potentially receive updates up to Android 22 (if the naming scheme remains consistent) without requiring significant software commitments from the chip vendor's side.

Under the program, for the first three years, the vendor's software will remain frozen, though OEMs will need to update the Linux kernel after three years in order to receive Google's certification, ensuring timely security patches. Qualcomm's recently-announced Snapdragon 8 Elite is the first chipset under LRGF.

While the program does have obvious benefits, like longer lifespans for a larger subset of devices, it has drawbacks and limitations too. For example, one limitation in place is that OEMs can not ship a device with an Android version that is four updates ahead of its chip's original vendor software. For example, Snapdragon 8 Elite's vendor software, designed for Android 15, can not be directly used on a device that is launching with Android 19. This is to prevent manufacturers from shipping devices that would only benefit from three OS updates.

Further, some features down the line might require updates to the vendor software regardless, which would make vendor software frozen at a specific build incapable of supporting said new features.

Google hasn't publicly shared details about LGRF. Rahman suggests that the tech giant held an event for OEMs earlier in the year, and that's how we know about Google's Longevity Requirements Freeze plans.