Google breaks promise to provide 10 years of updates to Chromebooks

jezzamon 20 minutes ago | parent | next [-]

Discussed a lot here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49893653

Seems to be more reasonable than this title suggests?

Some comments: "So they have introduced a major change and said any older Chromebooks bought going forward will only get 8. So its not a retrospective reduction for existing customers."

"From my understanding of the article, it sounds like ChromeOS support is getting pared back for those devices, but the devices themselves should still be supported, albeit via a (planned but not yet in existence) migration path to GooglebookOS."

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hedora 9 minutes ago | parent | next [-]

These devices are usually bought on contract, with lots of lock in.

In particular, there are lots of schools getting screwed over financially. Maybe they’ll switch vendors, or use the money for education. Chromebook spending has a strong negative correlation with educational performance.

As a parent, I am supposed to have control over my kids’ personal information, but the schools firehose all the most sensitive kids’ info they have to an unlawful marketing firm that I do not trust. How do I opt out?

	▲	wat10000 5 minutes ago \| parent [-]
		Surely those contracts specify whatever the schools need.

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wat10000 3 minutes ago | parent | prev [-]

Isn't it retrospective to all customers who purchased in the last 2 years? They're not saying a Chromebook bought yesterday gets 10 years but one bought tomorrow only gets 8. They're saying they all end in 2034. If you bought one yesterday expecting 10 years of updates, you got screwed.

	▲	bryanlarsen a few seconds ago \| parent [-]
		They're saying that you'll have to switch from ChromeOS to GoogleOS to keep getting updates for the full 10 years.

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motionlessveloc 22 minutes ago | parent | prev | next [-]

The actual update:

> ChromeOS devices will continue to receive regular updates and security patches through mid-2034. For qualifying devices purchased today whose 10-year support lifecycle extends beyond 2034, Google is committed to supporting your transition to Googlebook OS, with many devices offering direct migration paths.

In other words, support will be offered until 2034. if you're buying a new Chromebook today and intend to keep it for longer than 8 years, you're doing so at your own risk.

	▲	salviati 18 minutes ago \| parent [-]
		Directly after the passage you quote: > Google promised 10 years of updates for all Chromebooks, and it’s now breaking that promise for anyone buying a Chromebook between now and whenever the last Chromebook rolls off the production line So, they're changing the promise from now on, and not breaking it for past users. Doesn't sound like they're breaking their promise to me.

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hbn 5 minutes ago | parent | prev | next [-]

My pet theory with this move from Chromebooks to Googlebooks is simply that Chromebooks have a major stink on their entire brand reputation, especially in the younger generation that went through school with terrible cheap (and likely used/damaged) Chromebooks being given to them for schoolwork.

I think if you say "Chromebook" around most 20-something and unders, they have an instant negative association with the word.

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orbital-decay 3 minutes ago | parent | prev | next [-]

>Stuff like this should not be legal.

Alternatively, if users want legally binding contracts they should not treat promises as such.

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static_motion 16 minutes ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Is anyone surprised at this? Abandoning products in an untimely fashion is their specialty. I've never bought a hardware product from them for that reason, except for a 2nd gen Chromecast which was something whose longevity I didn't care too much about.

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silon42 21 minutes ago | parent | prev | next [-]

The only reason I'd consider buying a Chromebook is to install Linux on it... Same is true for Googlebook.

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AdmiralAsshat 22 minutes ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Google: What are you gonna do? Sue us?

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dathinab 8 minutes ago | parent | next [-]

if you are a school or similar which ordered a large stack of them in the last two years then yes, especially if multiple such organizations join together on a legal case.

In the end "help with migration to" isn't the same supporting the existing product.

And if you advertised a product with 10 year support that _is_ legally binding (in the EU) and a clear cut case of you losing around 10-20% of the advertised value.

Given that legal costs might be to some degree covered by legal insurance and it being a clean cut case this is likely worth the money. But also a case where google can "just settle and not care" as in many cases schools did more things like forcing parents to buy chrome books then buying them themself, so it's unlikely to amass any relevant damage amount for Google.

More funny would be if the judge rules "10 years promised? You are cable of delivering 10 years?! You have to deliver it! And for all chrome books bought [8;10[ years before the deadline not just the suing party".

	▲	pjmlp 2 minutes ago \| parent [-]
		Thing is, not every country in the world is trigger happy with lawsuits like in US, so there is a very high chance it goes nowhere, depending on the jurisdiction. Likewise many legal insurances have footnotes regarding how far they are actually going to support you in a claim process.

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rkozik1989 18 minutes ago | parent | prev [-]

You can take mega corporations to small claims court and you're often not worth their time so they'll just settle.

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mbeavitt 28 minutes ago | parent | prev | next [-]

For anyone currently owning a Chromebook and worrying about this:

https://docs.mrchromebox.tech

	▲	theodric 16 minutes ago \| parent [-]
		FWIW, my C13 Yoga (Morphius) runs full-fat Linux significantly better than it ever ran ChromeOS

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easyThrowaway 28 minutes ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Are the people who made the promise even still at Google?

It reminds me of those sketchy companies on Amazon promising "lifetime guarantee" on their products when they know already they're gonna close shop and reopen on a completely different brand the very next year.

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gib444 31 minutes ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Recently https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49893653

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zoobab 30 minutes ago | parent | prev | next [-]

The solution: legislate.

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pphysch 20 minutes ago | parent | prev | next [-]

So it's as low as 8 years instead of 10 for models purchased in the last 2 years (2034 being the cutoff), with those few devices being covered by a separate commitment to transfer them to GoogleOS by 2034.

Pretty lame detail to be enraged about, but it is Google and this is HN. This aligns with Apple's timeline for killing Intel MacBook support after releasing Apple Silicon (2029 being the last commitment).

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jqpabc123 30 minutes ago | parent | prev [-]

Since when has Google ever been trustworthy?

This is just standard operating procedure. Remember --- "Don't be Evil".