EU legislators have proposed sweeping requirements for smartphones sold in the region. Regulatory authorities have urged phone suppliers to provide at least five years of security updates (security updates) and three years of operating system updates (OS updates) for their devices. Additionally, these security and operating system updates must reach users «no later than two months after public release».
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If enforced, these rules could fundamentally change the way Android OEMs handle software support for their devices. Samsung and Google are the only brands that promise five years of security updates for their phones. Even so, not all of their devices enjoy these benefits. Samsung issues four major Android updates for its premium devices. By comparison, Google and other brands provide three or fewer major operating system updates for select devices.
Such a regulation could force companies to make long-term updates available not only for their flagship phones, but also for less premium, budget devices that typically don't receive long-term update commitments from manufacturers.
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The draft regulations also dictate that a device’s battery capacity “shall not deteriorate following an operating system software update or firmware update when measured with the same test standard originally used for the declaration of conformity.” They also state, “There shall be no performance change as a result of the rejection of the update, except for third-party application software.”
Extension of the lifespan of phones
Elsewhere, the draft rules suggest that smartphones and tablets sold in the EU region should have spare parts, such as batteries, screens, cameras, charging ports and more, available for at least five years.
The draft notes, “devices are often replaced prematurely by users and, at the end of their useful life, are not adequately reused or recycled , leading to waste of resources.”
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The European Commission is currently collecting comments on the draft rules. Some of the proposals could enter into force by the end of the year and most of them will be adopted 12 months after their adoption.
Information source: androidauthority.com
