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Since Android 9 more and more core components can be updated by Google by the Google Play System Updates (GPSU) that come from Project Mainline (https://www.xda-developers.com/android-project-mainline-modules-explanation/)

Do you know how long Google will provides these updates? I hope that there will be updates even after the phone manufactures have stopped providing the "normal" android (security) updates. If this is the case the updates of the phone manufactures would be less important since you get important updates directly from Google.

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    Though Google has successfully trapped a majority of OEMs in contracts and agreements, still Google Play Services isn't a necessary component of every Android device. “End-user devices can receive updates to these modularized system components from the Google Play Store infrastructure or through a partner-provided over-the-air (OTA) mechanism”. Secondly the updates received from Google are just related to AOSP framework. No major (like version) upgrade or critical fixes to vendor code (which are sometimes even more critical than AOSP code fixes) aren't possible without OEM's involvement.
    – Irfan Latif
    Nov 26, 2020 at 14:52
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    I would assume that even Google does not know at the moment how log they will provide updates. This mainly depends on how many new major Android versions will use this modular system without changes. If for example the modules now described are still used by Android 13 or 14 you have a high chance for also getting updates for older devices. But if Google decides to not only add new modules but also change existing modules (split, or somehow change) then I would assume that updates for those modules won't exceed the 3 years period.
    – Robert
    Nov 26, 2020 at 15:20
  • AFAIK, timeliness are not mentioned anywhere for the simple reason that this WIP and not yet matured. It's a part of slew of measures taken by Google over the last two or three years and even measures like Treble aren't fully adopted //Google itself takes it's own time with some measures. For instance, scoped storage was introduced in Android 5 but become a reality in Android 10. Points made by @IrfanLatif and Robert are very valid
    – beeshyams
    Nov 26, 2020 at 16:33

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