Apple has been supporting older devices for a long time, releasing special “lite” updates for them. At the same time, the European Commission recently put forward requirements that companies from the DigitalEurope industry association, which includes Apple, Samsung and other manufacturers, support system updates for their devices for up to 5 years.
In turn, Germany does not agree with such a deadline. Representatives of the country in the European Commission made a proposal that provides for up to 7 years of support for system upgrades. Apple and Samsung have said it’s too much, with the companies willing to provide up to three years of security updates and two years of operating system updates for supported devices.
The provision of spare parts was also discussed. Companies of the DigitalEurope association suggest that only batteries and displays be provided in the right quantity, as they are often the ones that fail. Sensors, cameras and other parts rarely fail and, according to the source, do not require mandatory use.
The changes will come into effect only after 2023, so the Commission and companies have plenty of time to adjust the conditions. For Apple, providing updates for up to 3 years will not be a problem. But for Android manufacturers, this will be difficult.
Source: iPhonehacks
