End of Life policy

Overview

Android tablets for education and Chrome devices receive automatic updates regularly that enhance both the device itself and software on the device. However, advances in hardware and technology eventually make devices out-of-date, and as time goes by, we cannot indefinitely ensure that older tablets will continue to support device setup or the ability to receive content from Google Play for Education or that older Chrome devices will receive updates to leverage new OS features. This document provides advanced notice of the End of Life date for:

• Specific Google Play for Education approved tablets, and is applicable to Android tablets for education customers
• Specific Google approved Chrome devices, and is applicable to Chrome OS for Enterprise and Education customers, Chromebox for meetings customers and consumer Chrome device users

  Note that only the Chromebox component of Chromebox for meetings is covered under the End of Life policy; the peripherals for the Chromebox for meetings solution are not covered.

General policy

• When a device reaches End of Life (EOL), it means that the product model is considered obsolete and automatic software updates from Google are no longer guaranteed.
• Enterprise customers using devices that have passed their EOL date will no longer receive full support¹ from Google’s Enterprise team.
• Enterprise customers using devices that have passed their EOL date may find that they cannot manage their devices as expected using the administrator control panel or leverage new management features released.
• For Android tablets for education, the ability to receive content sent from Google Play for Education and a new user account through device setup is not guaranteed on models which have passed their EOL date.
• Google will provide advanced notice of a model’s EOL Date on this page as soon as it is launched, giving our customers time to make purchase decisions.
• EOL dates may be pushed later than the initial date published, but will never be sooner than listed, which will be at least 3 years for Android tablets for education and 5 years for Chrome devices from launch of the hardware.
• Android tablets for education models that have not reached their EOL date will continue to be able to be set up and receive content pushed from the Google Play for Education site, as well as be managed with the Enterprise management service.
• Chrome device models that have not reached their EOL date will continue to receive OS updates and function with the Enterprise management service.
• The End of Sale date is controlled by the OEM (manufacturer) of the device model and has no relation to model’s EOL date. Therefore, it will not be shown in the table.

_{1 See Android tablets for education Technical Support Service Guidelines or ChromeOS Technical Support Service Guidelines}

_{1 Except where noted, these are unofficial End Of Life dates. Official EOL for these models will be at this date or later.}

_{2 Officially announced End Of Life date.}