Asian Tech Press (Sep 6) -- The German federal government is pushing the EU to require seven years of security updates and spare parts for smartphones as part of negotiations with the European Commission, German computer magazine C't said on Sep 2.

This follows an effort by the European Commission to push device suppliers to provide five years of parts and update support. Germany's plan, which extends it by two years, would effectively provide a more PC-like support cycle for cell phones.

Unsurprisingly, the proposal is being opposed by phone makers. The industry advocacy group DigitalEurope, which includes a number of members such as Apple, Google and Samsung, wants to require only three years of security updates and to limit spare parts to screens and batteries, rather than cameras, speakers and other components.

In other words, DigitalEurope is defending the status quo. While Apple typically offers five years of security updates, many Android manufacturers only offer three years or less.

It is understood that the EU proposal, which could come into effect in 2023, aims to protect the environment by getting users to change their phones less often.