There has been an important development in the Android update cycle for phones in the past year. More and more smartphone makers like Samsung have started promising 6-7 years of updates to their devices. However, still, a lot of smartphone manufacturers are not delivering it. But, Google has made it easier for OEMs to deliver 7 years of Android updates with its new Longevity GRF program.
Google’s new Longevity GRF program makes it easier for OEMs to deliver 7 years of Android updates
According to Android Authority, Google has introduced a new Longevity GRF program. It makes it easier for Android phone makers to offer long-term support for software updates. For the uninitiated, Google’s GRF program stands for Google Requirements Freeze. Notably, Google first set a new industry best standard by offering 7 years of updates to its Pixel 8 series of smartphones. Furthermore, the search titan continued this policy on the newly launched Pixel 9 series of phones.
As per the source, Google introduced the GRF program in 2020. This allowed for chipset makers like Qualcomm and MediaTek to offer 3 years of Android OS updates. However, the new Google Requirements Freeze program takes things even further. It allows the phone makers to deliver Android updates to their devices with the original vendor software that the chipset was designed for.
In simple words, OEMs can reuse their chipset maker’s software across multiple versions of Android and still get certification from Google. So, chipset makers don’t need to update their own software to meet new software requirements for at least 3 years after launch, notes the source. However, the OEMs will still have to update the Linux kernel version after 3 years.
Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite is the first SoC to support the Longevity GRF program. Notably, the chipset maker has announced that the devices powered by this SoC can get up to 8 years of Android updates. Notably, the Galaxy S25 series of devices could get 8 years of Android updates. This will be possible through the Snapdragon 8 Elite, which is expected to power them globally.
