Device listings on Google’s Android Enterprise Recommended website now show how long the manufacturer intends to support them. The updated information will seemingly provide users and companies with a better understanding of when to deploy and replace devices among its workforce.

Before, the Android Enterprise Recommended website only included general information about devices, including specifications. Now, the website includes a note about security update frequency and how long the device will be supported. In the case of the OnePlus 8, for example, OnePlus is promising to provide security updates until April 2023, although no information is provided for security update frequency. (OnePlus earlier committed to delivering security patch updates on a bi-monthly basis.) It's important to note that all security information is provided by manufacturers and isn’t verified by Google.

Android Enterprise Recommended security update

The changes corroborate our recent report that Google is planning to relax its security update requirements for Android Enterprise Recommended devices. One of the alleged requirements is that Google will no longer enforce a guarantee that devices in the program will receive security patch updates within 90 days of an ASB.

With Google loosening its AER requirements, the company is instead pushing for vendors to be more transparent about how they handle security updates. The new information displayed on the website is seemingly a result of Google’s new policies.

If you’re unfamiliar with the Android Enterprise Recommended program, it’s a program that certifies devices for business use. Devices included in the program are required to meet a set of standards, including minimum hardware specifications, support for bulk deployment, availability of unlocked devices, consistency of app behavior running in managed profiles, and more.

As of today, there are roughly 210 different Android devices in the Android Enterprise Recommended program, including handsets from Google, OnePlus, Motorola, OPPO, Sony, and HMD Global. Some smaller brands have smartphones in the program, too, such as Sonim, Zebra, and Honeywell.

Thanks XDA Senior Member Some_Random_Username for the tip!