Google’s Android operating system has a lot of advantages over the competition, but if there’s one thing that Google still has yet to solve it would be addressing the updates made to Android, where at the moment it really feels like Android update releases tend to be at the mercy of the companies who make the phones.
Not only that, but there is also the issue of how long devices are supported for after they’ve been released. However the good news is that according to a report from The Verge, it appears that they’ve managed to get their hands on a contract Google uses with device makers that shows that Google is now mandating that handset makers issue two years of security updates for popular phones.
This will cover all devices launched after the 31st of January, 2018 and by “popular”, it refers to devices that have been activated by at least 100,000 users. The contract also states that these manufacturers will need to patch flaws identified by Google within a certain timeframe, and failure to adhere to the contract could mean that Google might withhold approval for future devices.
To be fair it is to a company’s benefit if they were to release updates and patches in a timely manner as it would make them seem more reliable, but at the same time it’s good to know that Google will be enforcing it as well.