Android users who tend to hold onto their devices for an extended period might need to prepare for a change: Google Calendar's compatibility with older devices is at risk. Recent updates to the Google Calendar app have revealed signs that the service will soon no longer accommodate devices operating on Android versions older than 8.

Investigations into the app's most recent codebase have uncovered a clear message indicating upcoming incompatibility, alongside a specific code flag signaling that only Android 8 (Oreo) or later will be maintained. While this change has not yet been activated, its implementation seems imminent.

In the event that the deprecation goes ahead, users attempting to access Google Calendar on devices running versions older than Android 8 will be met with a prompt advising them to upgrade their operating system. That said, the calendar service should presumably remain accessible through mobile web browsers on these older gadgets.

Google's decision to phase out support for older Android versions doesn't come unanticipated—after all, Android 8 made its debut in August 2017, and it has been some time since Android 7, also known as Nougat, received its final update back in April 2017. StatCounter data reveals that around 5.54% of Android-powered devices globally are on Android 7 or previous iterations, which translates to roughly 5% of the overall device population. In contrast, the most recent iteration, Android 14, began its rollout in October 2023.

Though a number of devices on older Android versions might be eligible for an upgrade, users owning devices that cannot update to a newer version should consider seeking out new hardware, especially to continue utilizing Google Calendar.

The motivations for encouraging users to move onto recent Android versions are likely twofold. Not only are the features on newer Android systems more advanced but security is significantly strengthened, which is a probable primary concern for Google. Presently, TheSpAndroid has noted that Google Calendar supports devices with Android 5 (Lollipop) and above, which spans back to its introduction in June 2014. However, the technology landscape is shifting as Google gears up to enhance the support criteria for its popular scheduling application.