More and more Android manufacturers are promising to provide smartphones with updates for longer. However, most devices still see software support for a maximum of two years.
A new draft law by the EU Commission could have far-reaching consequences for the smartphone industry. In the draft, the legislators require five years of security updates and three years of function updates for smartphones and tablets. Functional updates are usually deployed annually. It is usually a jump to a new OS version, for example from Android 12 to Android 13 or from iOS 15 to iOS 16.
Compulsory update for Android manufacturers
So far, Samsung and Google are the only Android manufacturers (OEMs) that promise security updates for five years. A legal obligation to provide smartphones and tablets with updates would also put other manufacturers under pressure. Many only provide updates, if at all, for their premium devices. If the law comes into force, however, they would also have to supply mid-range and budget models.
Only Samsung and Apple go beyond the regulations drawn up by the EU Commission. Samsung offers four years of feature updates for its smartphones. However, Apple is the industry leader with five years of updates for iPhones and iPads.
Also included in the draft is a requirement that system updates may be available on end devices no later than two months after their publication. There are also new requirements for battery life and performance. The capacity of the battery should not decrease after an update. On the other hand, if an update is refused, the performance must still remain the same.
EU plans further measures
The EU Commission is not only aiming for changes in the smartphone industry in terms of software. The draft law also contains regulations for the provision of spare parts. Frequently used parts such as the battery, display and camera should therefore be available for at least five years.
The EU Commission wants to counteract this with the E-Waste draft law: “Devices are often replaced prematurely by users and are not sufficiently reused or recycled at the end of their useful product life, which leads to a waste of resources.” The proposed measures could extend the lifespan of smartphones and Tablets can be significantly extended. Instead of two to three years, consumers could use their devices for five years without restrictions. According to the Commission, that would be like taking five million cars off the road.
The EU has been a leader in consumer-friendly and resource-efficient smartphone legislation for years. As TECHBOOK reported, the EU Parliament recently decided to make USB-C the standard charging port for smartphones. Most manufacturers have been installing USB-C ports in their devices for a long time. However, others, such as Apple, are now being forced to make the switch by 2024 – if they want to continue selling their devices in the EU.
The bill is currently in the feedback phase. Both EU and non-EU citizens can visit the EU Commission website your opinion as a comment report back. Adoption by the Commission is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2022.