Qualcomm and Google have announced that they will work to expand Project Treble, Google’s ambitious multi-year project that aims to simplify operating system updates to make it easier for device makers to upgrade their phones and tablets to newer versions of Android without worry about Qualcomm chipset-specific software.
The goal is to make it even easier for users to access the latest version of Android on their phones (something that isn’t always guaranteed) and to ensure that the new Qualcomm chips will support four updates to the Android operating system and four years of Security updates – a huge leap from what most Android phones usually offer. Such a feat, if done effectively, would put Android smartphones closer to Apple iPhones in terms of long-term software support.
What Qualcomm and Google are doing here is a bit technical, but it basically comes down to a similar application of the existing strategy for Project Treble, which itself breaks down Android into different pieces. Thanks to Project Treble, OEMs can (in theory) only use the updated piece of Google software, without having to worry about waiting for updated components from silicon companies like Qualcomm.
The new approach with Qualcomm makes it easier for the chip maker, reducing the added software combinations it has been forced to endure (due to Treble’s previous efforts), allowing for faster updates – at least in theory.
Great is that it will take a few years until we can see what benefits, if any, this program creates to speed up the Android update cycle or extend the longevity of the device. This is because Qualcomm is making this commitment only for future devices, starting with the future Snapdragon 888 (which will arrive on phones in early 2021).