From February 1, 2020 all smartphones that will be released on the market in the coming months are required to have Android 10: here’s why
Android 10 is the standard that all smartphone manufacturers must comply with from February 1, 2020.
The obligation to use the latest version of the operating system of the green robot has been triggered on all devices that will apply for Android certification after this date. The certification is an essential step for the release of an Android smartphone: those who do not receive it can not install the GApps, namely the Play Store, Google Maps, Gmail and all the others.
The decision has certainly not come from one moment to another. The Mountain View company had warned manufacturers with some notice to give them time to adapt to the new rules. Compared to the past, this is a definite change of pace for Google: for previous versions, the obligation to use them on new smartphones was triggered after more than a year. For Android 10, however, the limit has been lowered to just 4-5 months. What does this mean for manufacturers? A lot, especially for those who make mid-range and entry level smartphones and who often launch devices with outdated Android versions in order not to deteriorate performance. Now they will be obliged to mount the latest version of the green robot’s operating system.
Android 10 mandatory from February 1: here’s why
All manufacturers that from February 1, 2020 require the certification of a new smartphone are obliged to mount Android 10. They won’t be able to decide to use Android 9 or an even older version to save on hardware: all devices will have to be able to support the latest version of the mobile operating system.
Google took this decision after seeing many manufacturers release the OS update only for the latest and highest performing models. This way they will be forced to mount Android 10 from the start. Moreover, the latest version of the operating system brings with it many new features, especially from the perspective of cybersecurity and privacy. With Android 10, it’s possible to limit each individual app’s access to personal data and protect the device from apps that try to install viruses and malware.
Manufacturers who want to get around this obligation had the option to certify their new devices by January 31, 2020. Those who have done so can opt to install Android 9 or Android 10 on their smartphones.