Last year, Google received criticism about the automatic expiration of updates (AUE) for Chromebooks. However, the company is working to address these concerns. If a recent commit in the Chromium Gerrit (via Chrome Unboxed) turns out to be true, we can expect something significant. ChromeOS is the operating system used in the top-tier Chromebooks and Chromeboxes. However, there exists a version called ChromeOS Flex, which allows for breathing new life into an old laptop or computer. Currently, it’s not possible to install ChromeOS Flex on a Chromebook or Chromebox.
This might change soon, as a commit in the Chromium Gerrit mentions the “Flexor”. At the time this article was written, the commit was only a few days old, so it’s too early to tell if it’s just a test or if something more significant is happening.
The commit revealed an installation script that mentions adding a 13th partition on the disk. Upon initiating the installation process, a welcoming message “Start flex-ing” appears.
What’s interesting is that the commit specifies that the 13th partition should be 10 GB. Currently, when creating a ChromeOS Flex USB installer, it’s necessary to have at least an 8 GB flash drive and 16 GB of storage on the computer where it will be installed. This suggests that Google is adding a new set of features to ChromeOS, which will likely be available for Chromebooks.
In September 2023, Google announced that they would extend the AUE dates for Chromebooks released since 2019. This means that these devices will receive support for an additional 10 years.
If Google does indeed launch the “Flexor”, what will be the support duration for Chromebooks? Considering the company’s recent commitments to providing operating system updates for seven years for the Google Pixel 8, it would make sense for something similar to be offered for Chromebooks. We’ll have to wait and see.
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