Google’s handling of Chrome OS upgrades has always been an asset for the platform - but now it’s becoming a responsibility.

[DaLveN @CSBD]

've never been one to shy away from calling out mobile tech injustices — especially when it comes to the realm of operating system upgrades. Well, gang, here we go again. Now, hang on: This isn't another impassioned rant about Android upgrades. Nope; this time, we need to talk about Google's other mobile-tech platform — the one that's usually the subject of thickly ladled upgrade praise. Yes, oh yes, it's time to talk about the typically commendable Chrome OS. First, some context: Chrome OS and Android may be increasingly alike on the outside, but when it comes to operating system upgrades, they couldn't be more different. With Android, y'see, device-makers are free to modify the OS in any way they see fit — and it's that very freedom that then results in those same companies being responsible for processing and sending out upgrades for their own devices instead of Google handling it for everyone. physical access to your computer. [ Take this mobile device management course from PluralSight and learn how to secure devices in your company without degrading the user experience. ] With Chrome OS, on the other hand, Google maintains tight control of the software. The operating system is more or less always the same, no matter what type of device you're using or which company made it. Because of that, Google's able to manage OS upgrades directly for all devices and send them out itself. And suffice it to say, the difference that makes from our perspective — that of the multi-limbed mammals who purchase and rely on said devices — is dramatic. You know the deal, right? On Android, if you aren't using one of Google's own Pixel phones, you've got virtually no guarantee of if or when any given upgrade will reach you. The wait often ends up being six months to a year, sometimes more, with virtually no communication along the way — and things are even less dependable if you're using (GASP!) last year's phone model. Sometimes, a phone-maker will leave you hanging for ages and then just decide not to bother giving you an upgrade at all, despite your phone still being in the standard two-year window for support. It's all quite lovely, to say the least. [Get fresh tips and insight in your inbox every Friday with JR's Android Intelligence newsletter. Exclusive extras await!] On Chrome OS, no matter what kind of Chromebook you're carrying, you consistently get every single upgrade — be it a major version bump or a minor patch — within a matter of days of its release. You don't even think about it, in fact; the software just shows up without issue or interruption, often without even alerting you to its presence. That setup has served Chrome OS well and helped it avoid one of the biggest pitfalls of its phone-based software sibling. Particularly for business folk, there's something to be said for knowing you can pick any Chromebook you like and then use it without having to worry about whether it'll always have the most up-to-date, secure, and effective software available. But now, eight years into Chromebooks' existence, the way we're using these devices has evolved. And it's high time for Google to evolve its stance on software upgrades accordingly. Allow me to explain. The Chrome OS upgrade equation Despite the reliability and consistency with which they're delivered, operating system upgrades on Chrome OS have one significant and largely invisible limitation — and that's their expiration date. It's a little-known and curiously (or maybe not-so-curiously) underpublicized fact: Every Chromebook, whether it costs $150 or $1,500, comes with an expiration date attached — a point at which it'll no longer receive software updates and thus won't be advisable to use. The lack of software updates on Chrome OS is arguably even more concerning than a lack of ongoing support on a more traditional computing platform, too — as it's not only the OS itself that isn't being kept up to date with important security and performance fixes; it's also the browser. I mean, think about it: On a Chromebook, the browser — y'know, Chrome — is a core part of the actual operating system. And that means all the critical updates rolled out to it come packaged as part of an operating system update. That's a very different scenario than what you see on Windows, Mac, or Linux, where the browser is a standalone app that's updated independent of the operating system and regardless of how up to date or outdated the computer's software may be. What that means, then, is that operating system updates on Chrome OS are especially significant — more so than on any other type of computer. And yet, Chromebooks tend to have the shortest shelf life of any computer out there when it comes to ongoing software support. And here's what's especially crazy: It's damn-near impossible for any normal person to know how long a Chromebook will continue to receive software updates — because (a) that information isn't listed in any even remotely prominent place, (b) it's