Rita El Khoury / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Chromebooks released after 2021 will now get ten years of automatic updates.
- Chromebooks released before 2021 will have the option to extend updates to 10 years.
- Adaptive charging and battery saver mode will roll out in the coming months.
If you want to keep using your Chromebook for as long as possible, Google has some news you’ll want to hear. The company is making a few changes that will help your Chromebook last a little longer.
Today, Google’s Chrome OS team announced it is upping Chrome OS commitments. Currently, Chromebooks get regular automatic updates every four weeks for eight years. These updates include security and stability improvements as well as new features. But starting in 2024, any Chromebook released after 2021 will now get ten years of regular automatic updates.
Owners who have Chromebooks that were released before 2021 aren’t being left out, either. Google says those older Chromebooks will be offered the option to extend automatic updates to ten years after they receive their last update.
More than just a Chromebook updates extension
Another interesting part of the announcement is the mention of incoming energy-efficient features. In the coming months, Google will begin rolling out an adaptive charging feature to Chromebooks. If you have a Pixel phone, you’ll be familiar with adaptive charging. It helps to extend a battery’s lifespan by prolonging charging based on your usage cycle.
Chromebooks will also be getting a battery-saving feature. The company explains that the battery saver will reduce or turn off energy-intensive processes.
Coincidently, it’s believed that Apple could be planning to launch a Chromebook competitor in 2024. Will these changes and everything else Chromebooks have to offer be enough to stave off the threat Apple poses? That remains to be seen.
