Chromebooks differ from regular PCs in many ways, but perhaps the most important distinction is that they have fixed lifetimes. Unlike traditional PCs, where you can keep updating the operating system until the hardware fails or becomes too ancient, Chromebooks use Google-made hardware platforms that are only guaranteed updates for a handful of years. Google has been gradually extending the support life for new Chromebooks, and now we're seeing the first models with nine years of guaranteed OS support.

Most Chromebooks on the market today were promised five or six years of updates, which definitely wasn't acceptable. Google added an extra year of support to nearly 150 models at the end of 2019, and a few months later, the company said select new models (like the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook and Asus Flip C436) would be guaranteed eight years of Chrome OS updates.

Google just updated its support page for Chrome OS updates to list two new models, the HP Pro c645 Chromebook Enterprise and the Lenovo ThinkPad C13 Yoga Chromebook Enterprise. Both laptops are scheduled to receive Chrome OS updates until June 2029, just under nine years from now. That makes them the first Chromebooks to receive nearly a decade of software support.

While it's still ridiculous that Chromebooks have fixed lifetimes, nine years is approaching the point where most people would upgrade before they see a warning about their Chromebook's end-of-life. Google's efforts on 'Lacros' could also lead to unsupported Chromebooks still receiving new browser updates, at least for a little while longer.

Source: Google Support