Google is set to discontinue support for its seven-year-old Android version with the upcoming release of Chrome v120 next month.
Despite Google’s practice of supporting older Android versions for several years, the maintenance of these outdated systems proves both time-consuming and costly for developers. Many older devices lack the processing power required to run newer apps.
As reported by Assemble Debug, a tech enthusiast known for uncovering new features in popular Google apps, the tech giant is contemplating ending support for Google Calendar and Chrome on Android Nougat 7.1.
For those still using a device running on the seven-year-old operating system, Chrome v119 will mark the last compatible version. The discontinuation of support for the widely used web browser will take effect with the release of Chrome v120 next month.
Regarding Google Calendar, the blog reveals that Google has introduced a new “UnsupportedOperatingSystem__enabled” flag in the latest version of the app. Enabling this flag will trigger a pop-up message advising users to upgrade to Android Oreo 8.0 or a higher version to continue using the app.
While the official timeline for ending calendar support on Android Nougat has not been disclosed by Google, maintaining support for older operating systems poses a financial burden for developers, particularly if there are only a few users.
Earlier this year, when Google updated its Android version distribution statistics on Android Studio, it was disclosed that Android Nougat 7.1 was running on approximately three percent of all Android devices.
Users wanting to continue using Chrome and Calendar on Android Nougat 7.1 may need to stick with the current app version and exclude them from the update list. However, caution is advised against using outdated app versions, as it may expose the device to security vulnerabilities and compromise phone security.
