Highly dependent on their operating system, these inexpensive but highly functional computers are seeing their lifespan increase by two years, which should have a significant impact on many portfolios.
A few months ago, studies painted a bleak picture for Chromebooks. Indeed, if they become essential elements of the educational process, they also transform into real financial sinkholes and time bombs for the environment. One of the reasons for these defects is that Google’s support is considered too short, ChromeOS updates being until now guaranteed for 8 years.
A great decade of updates
Could a student use only one or two Chromebooks throughout their schooling? This is a possibility that seems to be becoming a reality. However, although these devices are equipped with an operating system that can give them a fairly long lifespan, the reality is not quite the same.
Indeed, the period between the deployment of a Chromebook in a school and the moment when it is no longer usable is not as long as advertised. Of the 8 years of guaranteed updates from the moment a device is launched on the market, there are only 5 or 6 left, in the best case. The costs are therefore higher than expected, and these inexpensive computers are not very attractive for educational establishments, which could well turn to other platforms.
To respond to discontent, Google now guarantees 10 years of updates for Chromebooks marketed from 2021. But if the American giant boasts that a decade of updates is “ more than any other operating system commits to today “, it remains to facilitate the installation of new OS to give a second life to these devices. And, why not, support that would go beyond 10 years for educational establishments, which do not mind changing the components of a computer to extend its lifespan.
Several optimizations more than welcome
The low repairability of Chromebooks is a major problem facing schools. In the hands of young people, these computers are subjected to extreme situations, and damage is therefore quite common. However, the chronic shortage of spare parts means that many devices too quickly become electronic waste. Thus, Google wants to help establishments find components. Even more, the company is starting to roll out updates to make software repairs easier. She thus asserts that this “ reduces the time needed for software repairs by more than 50% and limits time spent outside the classroom “.
The American giant also looked at the end of life of Chromebooks. If the resale of the devices is always possible, their recycling is also taken seriously. Google wants to make it easier for resellers to take back computers, who are responsible for reselling them or sending them to recycling channels. The company is even looking to encourage the use of “credits” allowing schools to upgrade their Chromebook fleet at a lower cost from these same resellers.
Finally, the company’s latest attempt to improve the situation: ChromeOS is equipped with adaptive charging. This feature, already present on other devices, optimizes battery charge and limits it to more than 80%. The goal is to increase the lifespan of this essential component of a laptop. Along the same lines, Google is adding a power saver, which turns off resource-intensive processes below 20% battery.
The company finally reacted in a few months, taking advantage of the school holidays to resolve the problems concerning its devices. A welcome step forward, which is accompanied by a reaffirmed desire from Google and its partners to use more and more recycled materials in the manufacture of Chromebooks, while reducing their impact on the environment.
Sources: 9to5Google, Google
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