Motorola cites EU Law Loophole to โคAvoid 5-Year Software Support mandate
Brussels, Belgium – Motorola is challenging the spirit of new European Union legislation designedโค to extend โคsoftware support for โขsmartphones and tablets, arguing a single word – “if” – allows them to avoid providing updates โfor the full โfive-year โperiod required by the rules.
Starting June 20, 2025, โthe EUS Ecodesign regulationsโฃ mandate that devices receiveโ OS updates for at least 5 years from the date of sale. While moast manufacturers have moved to comply, Motorola scrutinized the legislation and found โคa potentialโ loophole.
The company points to Schedule 2, title 1.2, paragraph 6(a) of the regulation, which states: “Fromโ the date of end of placing on the marketโ until at least 5 years from this โdate, manufacturers [โฆ], if provide security updates, correctiveโ updates, or functionality updates for an operating system,โ makeโ such updates โavailable free of chargeโฆ”
Motorolaโ contends that theโ inclusion of “if” means manufacturers are not obligated to provide five years of software support, only that anyโ updatesโ they choose to offer must be free forโ that duration.
“So, if you’ve ever wondered why Motorola doesn’t offer longer-term software โsupport,โ it’s as they’ve interpreted European legislation differently,” sources close to the matter confirmed.
it remains โunclear whether EU โฃlegislators will amend โthe wording to eliminate ambiguity andโข enforce the intended five-year support requirement.
Source: gizmochina.com