The company has pledged to support a number of models through to June 2025, rather than the standard 6.5 years that starts when Google has finished certifying a model’s base hardware design. The existing policy means a brand new Chromebook could well have significantly less than 6.5 years of support, but the Lenovo revision now guarantees up to another three years. The full list of devices with extended AUE dates:

• Flex 11 Chromebook
• 100e Chromebook 2nd Gen MTK
• N23 Yoga Chromebook
• 300e Chromebook
• 300e Chromebook 2nd Gen MTK
• Ideapad S330 Chromebook
• Ideapad C330 Chromebook
• Poin2 Chromebook 14

With many of Google’s devices costing hundreds of dollars it’s not unreasonable to expect a longer support cycle, especially since many models are powerful enough to withstand years and years of reliable use should they be kept updated. Could this move be indicative of Google’s change in attitude towards its AUE policy?