Starting next year, Google will provide Chromebook security patches and software upgrades for up to a decade. This will effectively guarantee that no existing Chromebook will expire within the next two years.
However, a Google spokesperson added the caveat that, “In making changes to the expiration policy, we have to coordinate with each partner making any component in these devices. It requires a security and performance guarantee from the makers.” Other Google sources indicated that the major Chromebook vendors are expected to work with the company to extend their hardware’s lifespan.
Probably not for organizations given they depend on the device management functionality that comes with Chromebook. If they’re to switch to another OS, they’ll have to take on this device management. Roll their own timely security updates, hardening, content filtering, security policy creation and provisioning, privacy compliance, you name it. All of this and more done by every org. Chromebooks aren’t merely just a bunch of hardware. Their value proposition leans heavily on the OS and the built-in support and device management features.