EU lawmakers Have proposed that manufacturers provide at least 5 years of security updates and 3 years of the operating system to smartphones sold in the region.
In addition, such security and operating system updates must reach users “no later than two months after public release.”
If enforced, these standards could fundamentally change the way Android makers support their devices.
Samsung and Google are the only brands that promise five years of security updates for their phones, but not all of their devices.
Additionally, Samsung provides four major Android updates for its high-end devices, the longest among Android manufacturers. By comparison, Google and other brands provide three or fewer major OS updates for their devices.
Such a regulation could forcing companies to roll out updates for longer, not only for their flagship phones, but also for cheaper devices which do not typically receive long-term upgrade commitments from manufacturers.
The draft regulation also dictates that the battery capacity of a device “will not deteriorate after an operating system software upgrade or a firmware upgrade when measured using the same test standard originally used for the declaration of conformity”.
They also claim that “no change in performance will occur as a result of refusing the update, except in the case of third-party application software.”
Furthermore, the draft rules suggest that phones and tablets sold in the EU region they must have spare parts, such as batteries, screens, cameras, charging ports, etc., for at least five years.
The project indicates that “Devices are often replaced prematurely by users and, at the end of their useful life, are not sufficiently reused or recycled, which is a waste of resources.” Extending its useful life from two or three years to five years would be like taking millions of cars off the road. according to the conclusions of the European Commission.
The European Union has recently passed a law requiring all phones have USB-C charging by 2024. The latest proposed regulation is even more aggressive and could fundamentally alter the Android phone landscape if passed.
