Android 10 is out and some companies are already testing it. Some are Alpha-testing while others are announcing release dates for Beta-testing but up until now the choice to move to any Android update is solely the decision of the manufacturer.
However, Google is now mandating the latest updates for all Smartphones beginning from 2020. Google will no longer approve Android devices that do not ship the update and have given an ultimatum of January 31, 2020.
What this means is that any manufacturer that submits a device without Android 10 firmware installed will see their device rejected and unapproved by Google.
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The implication of this is that without Google’s approval devices cannot ship GMS. GMS means Google Mobile Services and it includes a suite of Google apps and services licensed by its OEM (original equipment manufacturer) partners, XDA Developers reported.
In order for a company to be approved to preload, GMS, OEMs must submit the software builds for each device they make to Google for approval.
The approval process includes meeting the requirements in the Compatibility Definition Document (CDD) and the GMS Requirements document, passing automated test suites like the Compatibility Test Suite (CTS), Vendor Test Suite (VTS), and Google Test Suite (GTS).
There are a few possible reasons why the tech giant has decided to make Android 10 mandatory. A lot of device manufacturers choose not to go with the latest Android updates in the past depriving users of the best of Google Android. A way to mitigate this is for Google to enforce the updates for all smartphones releases.
Google releases Android 10 (GO Edition) last month which is a faster and lighter version of Android 10. Low-end devices will be getting this edition later this year.
“With Android 10 (Go edition), we’ve made Android faster and more secure. First, this new release helps you switch between apps faster and in a memory-efficient way,” the company said in a statement.
“Encryption underpins our digital security, as it protects your data even if your device falls into the wrong hands. That’s why Android 10 (Go edition) includes a new form of encryption, built by Google for entry-level smartphones, called ‘Adiantum’,” Google added.