Android and iPhones Could Soon Get Excellent and Timely Support All Thanks to EU
If these rules are enforced, they could easily shift the way Android OEMs have been handling software updates for some time now. At the time of writing, Samsung and Google are the only two companies that are offering five years of security updates on their phones. Despite this, not all of their devices are enjoying these benefits. On top of that, Samsung is also offering four major Android updates to the premium devices, the longest in the industry. In comparison, Google and other brands are providing either three or fewer OS updates for the select devices. Such regulation has the power to go ahead and force the companies to deliver longer updates not just for the flagship phones but also for the mid-range and budget devices that normally do not get the same treatment. The draft regulations also dedicated that the battery capacity of the device “shall not deteriorate after an operating system software update or a firmware update when measured with the same test standard originally used for the declaration of conformity." In addition to that, it also adds, “No performance change shall occur as a result of rejecting the update, except for third-party application software.” The same regulation also suggests that smartphones and tablets sold in that region should have spare parts, including batteries, displays, cameras, charging ports, and more, available for at least five years. The draft states, “devices are often replaced prematurely by users and are, at the end of their useful life, not sufficiently reused or recycled, leading to a waste of resources.” It should not come as a surprise that Europe has been leading the way forward with smartphone regulations in recent times, and it is definitely something that looks good going forward for all companies. The European Commission is currently gaining feedback on the draft rules, and some of the proposals that have been suggested could come into effect by the end of the year, and most of them would be in effect in 12 months after they are approved. This clearly, will be an excellent thing for all Android and iOS users, and definitely, the right way going forward.
