A new United Kingdom legal requirement has resulted in Apple committing to providing a minimum of five years of iPhone security updates from the date of the device’s launch, according to a report from Android Authority (Via MacRumors).
The U.K. established new Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure (PSTI) regulations earlier this year, forcing companies that sell internet-connected devices in the country to comply with certain security requirements.
The PSTI contains requirements that electronics manufacturers define a minimum length of time for which they will provide security updates after the date of sale. The regulation defines a “security update” as a “software update that protects or enhances the security of a product, including a software update that addresses security issues which have been discovered by or reported to the manufacturer.”
To comply with the new regulation, Apple has submitted a public regulatory filing for the iPhone 15 Pro Max, in which it says the device’s “defined support period” is a “minimum five years from the first supply date.” The device’s “first supply date” is listed as “September 22, 2023,” which is the date of the iPhone 15 series launch.
Android Authority notes that both Samsung and Google guarantee seven years of security updates as well as Android OS updates for their devices, two years longer than what Apple is guaranteeing in its regulatory filing.
However, it should be noted that Apple typically provides security updates for older devices well past the stated five-year update guarantee. March saw Apple push an update to iPhone 6s models. That device launched in September 2015, or nearly nine years ago.
