Google has announced that it is committed to provide regular automatic updates, with security patches, for all recent Chromebook iterations for a period of 10 years.
Portable computers running Google’s ChromeOS, Chromebooks have been in users’ hands since 2012, and have become one of the most used types of devices within the education sector.
To prolong their lives and ensure they remain secure to use, Google said it plans to extend the automatic security updates period for some of these devices, starting next year.
“Chromebooks get automatic updates every four weeks that make your laptop more secure and help it last longer. And starting next year, we’re extending those automatic updates so your Chromebook gets enhanced security, stability and features for 10 years after the platform was released,” the search marketing giant said.
By default, the prolonged automatic security update lifecycle will apply only to Chromebooks that have been released since 2021. However, Chromebooks released before 2021 and in use may also be enrolled for receiving extended security updates for 10 years from the platform’s release, after they receive their last automatic update, should users and administrators choose to do so.
However, Google warned that some of the features and services available for newer Chromebooks may not be available for devices released prior to 2021.
The company attempted to reassure users of Chromebook devices that have reached the end of the automatic updates lifecycle that, even past this moment, built-in security features will continue to keep them safe.
“With Verified Boot, for example, your Chromebook does a self-check every time it starts up. If it detects that the system has been tampered with or corrupted in any way, it will typically repair itself, reverting back to its original state,” Google added.
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