Should you’ve been maintaining with the newest tech headlines, you then might need heard that Google not too long ago up to date its Pixel software program assist pointers, including two extra years of OS upgrades for older units together with the Pixel 6 collection, Pixel 7 collection, and unique Pixel Fold fashions. The corporate wasn’t precisely loud about it, however eagle-eyed observers noticed the change in google’s official assist net pages.
READ: Google extends Android updates assist for the Pixel 6, Pixel 7, Pixel Fold
This basically implies that units just like the Pixel 6 – which initially debuted in 2021 – will nonetheless get common software program and safety patches for the subsequent two years, as an alternative of the unique three-year deadline which restricted software program upgrades to 2024. In a day and age the place plenty of smartphone manufacturers nonetheless provide very restricted software program updates ( you, Sony and ASUS), Google including extra years to older units is sort of uncommon.
Actually, Google’s smartphone replace coverage was at all times one of many greatest causes to get a Pixel gadget, as which means you gained’t be utilizing a tool that’s caught with older software program for plenty of years, along with common characteristic drops that add new performance not out there upon launch. With newer telephones just like the Pixel 8 and 9 getting as much as seven years of updates, this promoting level solely bought stronger.
READ: How Lengthy will your Pixel Cellphone Hold Getting Updates?
This current development of longer Android OS assist has fortunately seen widespread adoption amongst different OEMs – for instance, Samsung guarantees that the Galaxy S24 collection telephones will obtain as much as seven years of software program updates, and that’s not together with rival manufacturers like Apple, which has famously supported its older smartphones with a number of years’ price of OS updates. We’re even seeing different manufacturers begin providing extra common updates for his or her units, along with one-off software program patches for older smartphone fashions.
Going again to Google’s two-year replace extension, that is maybe one of many higher outcomes of the corporate’s choice to maneuver to utilizing first-party Tensor chips for its smartphones, giving it higher management of software program assist in the long term. Whilst you might say that it’s Samsung who produces the Tensor chips, it’s in the end nonetheless Google who is aware of the ins and outs of its SoCs, in contrast to different manufacturers whose software program updates are partly decided by whichever third celebration firm manufactures the chips inside their units.
…one would possibly assume that finances isn’t actually one thing that ought to maintain again different firms from doing this kind of factor.
Contemplating that Google’s smartphone enterprise isn’t in all probability as huge as that of extra mainstream (and globally out there manufacturers), one would possibly assume that finances isn’t actually one thing that ought to maintain again different firms from doing this kind of factor. Take for instance Samsung and Xiaomi – each have vastly improved their software program replace assist for his or her smartphones, and have world attain relating to product availability.
In concept, it shouldn’t be arduous for both to increase software program assist for older units, though then again, Google solely had so as to add prolonged assist for seven units, given its comparatively small pool of smartphone fashions. By comparability, there’s an enormous quantity of Samsung and Xiaomi telephones on the market, every with completely different {hardware} configurations throughout completely different regional variants and such. We additionally should issue within the difficulty with smartphone chips that we talked about earlier.
Maybe I’m anticipating an excessive amount of. In fact until one works at stated firms, we are able to’t actually ever know if prolonged software program updates are within the playing cards for different Android producers. Hopefully although if this development carries on over within the coming years, it’s a win-win state of affairs for customers, particularly for consumers who aren’t too eager on upgrading their gadget yearly.
