Google has confirmed the new Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro phones will benefit from seven years of Android OS updates, which should keep the phones’ software feeling fresh until beyond 2030.
The new handsets, which will be the first to arrive running Android 14 out of the box, should now be eligible to receive Android version… *counts on fingers*… TWENTY-ONE.
“We’re expanding Pixel support to years of OS upgrades, security updates, Feature Drops, and AI innovations. Your Pixel8 and Pixel 8 Pro will be supported all the way through 2030,” Google announced on Wednesday.
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It’s a huge longevity boost for Pixel fans, who have until now been guaranteed five years of updates, but only three full Android version updates.
Leaks in the weeks prior to the Made by Google launch event on October 4 had prefaced this announcement, but it’s great to see Google commit to iPhone-like longevity for its flagship homegrown devices.
In fact, considering Apple just cut the 2017 iPhone X from the iOS 17 team, Google is potentially surpassing the iPhone in terms of longevity. Of course, we don’t yet know how long the new iPhone 15 will be supported.
When it was reported Google was plotting this move, it wasn’t clear whether the 7 years of updates included the annual Android boosts, or just extended security releases to keep the phone safe. Now Google has confirmed its commitment to supporting Pixel phones for as long as the hardware can realistically remain users’ primary handset.
Considering Pixel phone owners are the only Android devices guaranteed to get the Android OS updates on day one, this news is likely to be a major sales driver for Google moving forward. It may also courage other Android manufacturers like Samsung, OnePlus and Motorola to make similar commitments moving forward.
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