After pushing Apple to ditch its proprietary Lightning connector in favour of USB Type-C, EU lawmakers have set their eyes on Android. According to a report by 9to5Google, a draft regulation is currently on the table in the EU which might soon compel smartphone manufacturers to support all Android phones for at least five years.
The draft might set ‘ecodesign requirements for mobile phones, cordless phones, and slate tablets.’ According to the commission that studied the impact of the draft, if smartphone manufacturers are forced to give at least five years of updates to every Android smartphone, it would be equivalent to getting around five million cars off the road.
It suggests that all Android smartphone makers should provide three years of major Android updates and five years of important security patches. It is interesting to note that the majority of Android devices currently fail the criteria set by the draft. The commission also suggested that phone makers should also offer five years of repair and after-sales service.
Some phones like the Google Pixel 6 series barely surpass the requirements proposed by the draft. Before the tech giant adopted this policy, it provided just three years of total updates which includes important security patches as well.
And while Samsung offers four major Android updates and five years of security patches, it does so only for select high-end devices with most budget and mid-range phones not covered by the policy. Other manufacturers like Motorola and OnePlus are known for offering just one major Android update. If the draft is enforced, it will surely increase the longevity of all Android devices and result in reduced electronic waste in the coming years.
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