Google is making big changes that might end up impacting your Chromebook's lifespan. The company says that starting in 2024, all new Chromebooks will automatically get up to 10 years of updates after the Chromebook is released. This is up from the current eight years of support that most Chromebooks already get.

Google is making this move as a way to increase the security of Chromebooks. The change also applies to Chromebooks released from 2021 onwards, and if you have a Chromebook released before 2021, you'll get the option to extend automatic updates from the date of the previously scheduled last automatic update. A Chromebook's lifespan has always been one of its weaknesses against Windows laptops, but this now gives you the option to use your Chromebook for longer. Google claims that 10 years of regular automatic updates is more than any operating system has today. MacOS releases are usually maintained for three years, and Windows 10 is maintained for about 10 years.

Other than extended support, Google is also rolling out a quicker repair process for Chromebooks used in schools and will be releasing energy efficiency features in ChromeOS. Google will be rolling out updates for the Chromebook Repair Program to help make software repairs 50% faster, allowing authorized repair centers to repair Chromebooks without a USB key. As for the energy efficiency features in ChromeOS, it's adaptive charging and battery saver. With adaptive charge, you can preserve your battery health and battery saver, and extend battery life by reducing energy-intensive processes.

With all of these changes, Google hopes that you can love your Chromebook for longer, and keep it more secure. The changes are indeed welcome and after moves like enabling Steam, and even a video editor, are yet another way that Google is catching ChromeOS and Chromebooks up with Windows laptops and MacBooks.