Unconfirmed: Google amends chip manufacturer software terms for easier Android updates over 7 years

Renowned Android blogger Mishaal Rahman referenced sources in Google, revealing that Google is reportedly launching a new project that will enable Android devices to receive updates for up to 7 years. Known as Google Requirements Freeze (GRF), this project was initiated in 2020 to address the issue of chip manufacturers such as Qualcomm or MediaTek being reluctant to update their software to work with newer versions of Android. This reluctance has resulted in hardware OEMs being unable to update their operating systems even if they want to.

GRF relaxes the conditions by allowing hardware OEMs to update their operating systems while still using the software from chip manufacturers’ old versions, thereby making updates easier. Prior to this, the GRF project mandated chip manufacturers to support software for 3 years. Google’s new project, Longevity GRF, extends this timeframe to 7 years. This means chip manufacturers continue their work as usual, while hardware OEMs can use the software for an extended period of 7 years. However, there is an additional requirement for hardware OEMs to update the core components every 3 years, to prevent security risks from outdated components (Google supports core components for 4 years).

Rahman highlights that the advantage of Longevity GRF is the extended hardware support lifespan of 7 years, but there may be limitations in later updates to accommodate new hardware features in newer Android versions. For example, the power level flash feature introduced by Google in Android 13 would require chip manufacturers to update it accordingly. If chip manufacturers neglect any updates over the 7-year period, users may miss out on these new features, even if they upgrade their operating system.

Rahman mentions that Google has expanded the Longevity GRF project to hardware OEMs this year, although no public announcement has been made yet.

TLDR: Google’s Longevity GRF project extends hardware support for 7 years, but may have limitations in accommodating new hardware features in later updates if chip manufacturers do not keep up with updates.