Google to Drop Chrome and Calendar Support for Older Android Smartphones
Google has announced that it will discontinue updates for its Chrome browser and Google Calendar app on smartphones running outdated versions of its Android operating system. Starting with Chrome version 120, expected in early 2024, support will be dropped for devices using Android 7.1 (Nougat) and older. The move aims to encourage users to update their smartphones to a newer Android version or invest in a new handset. The Chrome 119 update already includes a message prompting users on older smartphones to update their Android version. This change is expected to affect around 8% of Android users with Nougat and earlier versions.
Google has revealed plans to cease support for its Chrome browser and Google Calendar app on smartphones running outdated versions of the Android operating system. The discontinuation will commence with the release of Chrome version 120, anticipated in early 2024. According to a support article update for Google Chrome, devices operating on Android 7.1 (Nougat) and earlier will no longer receive updates. This strategic move by Google aims to push users towards updating their smartphones to a newer Android version or acquiring a more recent handset to continue receiving essential updates.
The Chrome 119 update has already incorporated a message for users on older smartphones, urging them to upgrade to a newer Android version. Consequently, users with devices running Android 7.1 and below will not receive the upcoming Chrome 120 update. The decision is expected to impact approximately 8% of Android smartphone owners, as indicated by Android usage statistics from June. Notably, the minimum version supported by Google Chrome has been raised to Android 8 (Oreo), making sideloading APKs for Chrome 120 and later versions incompatible with Android 7 and older versions. Additionally, reports suggest that Google is preparing a similar message for Google Calendar users on Android 7.1 and older, informing them of the dropped support and prompting an update to a newer Android version for continued access to the service.
