
That’s still something to be aware of, but now these organizations have a longer timeframe to work with. That’s especially true since purchasing a Chromebook in the middle of its software update lifecycle cuts into that return. This also provides a better ROI for schools and businesses who don’t want to replace hardware every few years. This could sway some potential buyers back to a Chromebook. Secondly, the limited amount of update support for Chrome OS has skewed some buyers away from Chromebooks who look at their total hardware investment over time. So this announcement brings Chromebooks more on par with those devices. Windows PCs and macOS computers are typically able to get updated software for at least the same 8 years. For one thing, it addresses much the oft-quoted “built-in obsolesce” argument against the devices.

This news is a big plus for the Chromebook market.

Chromebooks now show their software end of support date Late last year, Google extended Chrome OS update expiration dates for more than 130 devic e models, but this new policy applies to new Chromebooks launching in 2020 and beyond. Today in conjunction with the BETT education event in London, Google announced major news with all new Chromebooks to receive 8 years of Chrome OS automatic software updates.
