On the annual Qualcomm Snapdragon Summit, the corporate introduced it could be supporting the brand new Snapdragon 8 Elite for eight years. That is nice to see, but it surely does not imply what you are in all probability pondering it means.
It has to do with what kind of help a chip maker wants to supply and what half a cellphone maker performs in how lengthy your cellphone is stored updated. The 2 issues do not align the way in which we predict.
With regards to Android model updates, three events must work collectively to supply one for the cellphone in your hand. Google, in fact, must take all the brand new code and adjustments to current code, assemble it right into a particular goal for constructing Android, and take a look at it. It is quite a lot of work, and quite a lot of different firms contribute — Android shouldn’t be written by Google alone.
As soon as Google has one thing resembling a brand new model, cellphone makers begin working with it. They are going to take the code and see learn how to combine their adjustments with out breaking something, then assemble all of that into one thing they’ll take a look at.
Lastly, the businesses that make microprocessors, like Qualcomm and the Snapdragon chip, would possibly must help a brand new Linux kernel or low-level working system adjustments. We additionally see loads of patches and bug fixes from these firms, and for those who ever look into what’s inside a month-to-month Android safety patch, you will see firms like Qualcomm doing quite a lot of the work.
This can be a essential a part of the chain as a result of solely Qualcomm could make adjustments to its Snapdragon chip. Google or Samsung would possibly know what to do and even learn how to do it, however Qualcomm is the one firm that may legally do the work as a result of it owns the mental property being labored on. Snapdragon chips usually are not open supply, similar to MediaTek, Apple, and even Google chips aren’t. These firms personal that concept and the execution of it and do not share.
If the subsequent model of Android or the subsequent safety replace requires adjustments to the way in which the chip operates and Qualcomm does not wish to do them, telephones operating unsupported chips will not be up to date. Generally Google can work round it (the Nexus 7 was a very good instance of Qualcomm not desirous to make vital adjustments) however to work correctly requires the chip maker’s involvement.
None of which means that a cellphone maker has to do something. You got your cellphone with an expectation of the options it has at this time operating as marketed. A case might be made that an organization like Samsung has to ship on that promise and repair something that does not work correctly, however something new or up to date is further. That is why cellphone makers are fast to let you know about guarantees to replace a cellphone for a sure period of time: it is a function that you simply’re paying for.
Samsung does not have to vow seven years of help for its Galaxy S telephones; it does it as a result of it is a promoting level. In an ideal world, as soon as that promise is made, it needs to be honored, however virtually each cellphone maker has damaged a promise or two alongside the way in which.
This is the place this all begins to sound extra like public relations than a technical promise: each chip Qualcomm has ever made might be up to date at this time if somebody was prepared to pay for it. If Google, LG, and Qualcomm needed to, they may replace the Nexus 4 to the purpose the place the chip could not sustain. It might nonetheless construct and flash to your cellphone with out errors; it could simply run actually slowly and terribly.
I am not aware about how a lot an organization like Qualcomm prices for longer help life on certainly one of its merchandise, however I do know that it is a negotiable a part of the contract a cellphone maker enters once they purchase hundreds of thousands of them. Qualcomm tells Samsung (for instance) that the chip is supported for, for instance, 4 years. Samsung says it wants six years. Cash adjustments palms, and 6 years of help is now included. This is not free as a result of supporting a chip prices cash, and Qualcomm did not get the place it’s at this time by giving issues away. This can be a huge a part of the explanation the NVIDIA Protect has a legendary help lifetime. Nvidia is in control of every little thing.
What I am saying is {that a} cellphone maker may help your cellphone for eight years at this time if it needed to. It may have supported the cellphone you purchased 5 years in the past for eight years. A cellphone maker has to juggle what’s finest for itself and what it will probably supply to us with out shedding cash.
Eight years of help from Qualcomm is nice and will decrease the associated fee sufficient in order that cellphone producers begin providing eight years of help on the telephones, too. If it is possible with out including an excessive amount of to the cellphone’s retail value, we simply would possibly see it. If nothing else, this stage of help ought to imply that telephones can see longer help in relation to safety updates and bug fixes, and that will be simply pretty much as good!
