Qualcomm said this week that it will be partnering with Google to support Android smartphones running the new Snapdragon 8 series processor or the Snapdragon 7 series chipset that will be released later this year for eight years.
The company announced in a press release that this will be available for Snapdragon 8 Elite Mobile Platform devices. This implies that smartphones such as the Asus ROG Phone 9, Xiaomi 15, Honor Magic 7 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S25 series, and OnePlus 13 may be eligible for up to eight years of Android software and security updates.
This basically means that in addition to Android system updates, the company pledges to deliver underlying “kernel” changes, which are the software’s core and appear to lower the cost for manufacturers to supply these yearly improvements.
Seang Chau, VP and GM of Android Platform, stated, “Through this collaboration, OEMs can more seamlessly update the software and security on their devices, ensuring a more secure and long-lasting Android experience for our users.”
Qualcomm is reportedly able to provide Android software and security updates to device manufacturers such as the ones listed above. With its more recent Tensor chipsets, Google has already promised seven years of updates since the Pixel 8 series, and Samsung has done the same with its most recent phones, such as the Galaxy S25 series. It appears that Google is currently working to provide other phones on the market with the same degree of support.
Qualcomm clarifies, nevertheless, that the OEM makes the final decision over which devices would receive the extended upgrades. This implies that Samsung, OnePlus, or any other manufacturer will be in charge of determining how much support these phones will get.
Chris Patrick, senior vice president and general manager of mobile phones at Qualcomm, stated, “We are raising the bar, giving our OEMs more flexibility and ultimately enhancing user experiences.”
Customers may be able to keep their devices longer as a result of this collaboration rather than having to buy new phones every few years. This is especially advantageous for phones that will be using the 7-series CPUs later this year, which could allow less expensive phones to have the extended support typically found in high-end phones.
However, it’s unfortunate that older phones—those lacking the newest chipsets—will not be able to take advantage of these features. As a result, customers may soon need to switch to more recent models.
“Legacy platforms cannot take advantage of the extended support. Qualcomm Technologies will continue to work with OEMs on their software support needs for legacy platforms across our product lines,” the presser added.
