An update on Chromebook expiration dates

Every now and then I get to say, “I told you so.”

Not to rub it in, just say’n there is good news for Chromebook owners about the expiration of Chromebook support.

The life of your Chromebook operating system software has just been extended by a year and a half. Yup, you get a free ride for a little longer.

Just in time for holiday shopping, the amazing Oz (aka Google) has granted your wish and your Chromebook software will not expire on the stated expiration date.

According to Laptop magazine, “Every Chromebook has an expiration date on which Google stops supporting the device. As reported by the Register, Google will provide new hardware with 6.5 years of auto-update support.” That’s an extension from five years.

Chromebooks were introduced 8 years ago, but Laptop says the timer starts counting down from the time “when the first device on the platform is released.” I’ve reached out to Google for clarification, but that vague phrasing seems to suggest that support begins when the first unit of a specific model is released. Most Chromebook models are 5+ years old even if they are “new” in the store, so the expiration period is soon.

Google’s support page on the matter states that if a manufacturer releases a device on a “1-year-old hardware platform,” then it will have only 5.5 years of auto-update support remaining.

That wouldn’t be a problem if Chromebooks were frequently refreshed, meaning a new model was introduced. However, some older models, especially budget notebooks like the Samsung Chromebook 3, have been selling as new for years. In fact, Google’s documents show that the Chromebook 3, one of my favorite budget Chromebooks, will receive support for only two more years.

‘Spoiled Milk’

Here’s the I told you so: Chromebooks are not computers in the traditional sense. They are merely a way to connect to Google and not much more. Now to add insult to injury, we find out that they have an expiration date like milk that sours in a short lifetime.

If you’re already a Chromebook owner, when it expires, toss it out like spoiled milk. (We recycle for free, so just bring it in so I can chuckle at you. No, I wouldn’t do that. Or would I?)

Holiday buyers beware: Check the expiration date of computers before you buy them. New ones can expire sooner that one thinks.

Before you buy a Chromebook, check to see when the model was first released. Expiration dates originate from the date of original release. Unfortunately, that information isn’t typically provided by laptop manufacturers. According to Laptop Mag’s Phillip Tracy, the easiest way is to visit the support page on Google’s Auto Update policy.

William Claney is a tech writer and former owner of Computers USA in the Clayton Station. Email questions or comments to willclaney@gmail.com.