Germany requires 7 years of security updates for smartphones in Europe

Germany's proposal is two years older than the European Commission's and would give smartphones a similar support cycle as computers.

Germany requires 7 years of security updates for smartphones in Europe

The phone you have can provide security updates for at least a few years, at least if Germany achieves its goals.

The German federal government is pushing the European Union to ask for 7 years of security updates and replacement parts for smartphones as part of the European Commission negotiations.

Germany's proposal is two years older than the European Commission's and would give smartphones a similar support cycle as computers.

The opposite is the attitude of producers. The DigitalEurope Group, which includes Apple, Google and Samsung, requires a commitment of no more than 3 years of security updates while parts for smartphones want to be reduced to just screens and batteries rather than cameras, speakers or other components that are more stable .

Apple typically offers 5 year updates, including security ones while most Android manufacturers 3 years or less. Samsung is the only one that has affirmed its commitment to 4 years of security updates in 2021.

The European Union believes that by increasing support for smartphone updates, users will keep them longer, thus reducing the environmental impact. On the other hand it would significantly increase the security of smartphones.