Google’s Nexus and now Pixel devices are great for their support with software updates making it easy to live on the bleeding edge at times, but that support will end one day and the day has been named by Google in their support documentation.
The Google Support page for Pixel has been added now, with an expected 2 year life-span for OS updates, with a 3 year life-span for security updates. The Pixel and Pixel XL launched in October 2016, and that means October 2018 will be the last OS update for the phones, and October 2019 will be the date that the last security update is sent out. That’s not necessarily true with Google wording it as ‘No guaranteed Android version updates after‘ and ‘No guaranteed security patch updates after‘.
Still not clear? Here’s Google’s table:
|
Phone |
No guaranteed Android version updates after |
No guaranteed security patch updates after |
|---|---|---|
|
Pixel XL |
October 2018 |
October 2019 |
|
Pixel |
October 2018 |
October 2019 |
These date timelines are the same as we’ve seen for their Nexus devices previously, so there’s no surprises here. Of course as it’s a Google device there’s going to be great third party developer support once the official support ends, so there’s that too.
It’s a bit miserable if you ask me , should be at least 3 years of full updates .
Devil’s advocate here. All too often we are forced to update to software that makes phones, tablets and computers run unusably slow. If your phone no longer received updates to software that would impede the performance, that’s fine with me. I’d rather have usable older software than sluggish newer software with over hyped features that I’ve lived without for my whole life. This way you have the option of continuing to use an older phone rather than being practically forced into upgrading just for a bearable experience.
Completely agree, every ipad I get slows down after a few updates
So if I decide today to buy a Pixel, 128MB, from JB HiFi I would pay $1229 and in one year and six months the OS will stop updating. OK that is better than some phones that are never updated. But, they have to be kidding. There should be updates for as long as the hardware is suitable. Premium phone premium support. I could buy a $400 phone each year for three years for the same money and get a newer OS each time and in three years have a new phone for at least another year. A nice Moto… Read more »
128MB pixel isn’t gonna get you far ?
It is good to have proof readers. Fixed
It’s disappointing that such an expensive device is only given a 2 year life expectancy for OS updates. I understand that it becomes hard to justify in a business sense to support devices that are older, but to only guarantee two years is a real shame. I was really hoping google would take the Apple route and provide system updates for well after the two year period with their “premium” line of products, since they’ve designed and built both sides (hardware/software). I love my pixel and hope to keep it for many years to come, and would love to continue… Read more »
Yeah I get what you mean. Though the performance of those old iPhones when updated to the latest OS is notoriously woeful. So while Apple do give you updates its like @Blootuthe:disqus stated above.