Phone

The Pixel 8 is approaching its October 4 unveiling, accompanied by numerous leaks that have surfaced beforehand. An intriguing revelation comes from reliable leaker Kamila Wojciechowski, who has compiled an extensive list of specifications for the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro, available on 91mobiles, along with additional marketing materials. The noteworthy news is that Google has decided to extend the support period for its Pixel phones. In an unprecedented move, Pixel phones will now receive updates for up to seven years, surpassing Apple's support duration. Google has always positioned Pixel phones as the leading flagship devices within the Android ecosystem. With this speculated spec sheet, the operating system provider finally aligns its update plan accordingly.

At present, Pixel phones are limited to three years of operating system updates and five years of security updates. This falls short not only compared to Apple's update policy but also to several Android partners within Google's own network. For example, Samsung and OnePlus offer up to four years of operating system updates, although some details regarding arrival times and security update frequency should be considered. While Apple's policy does not have a defined timeline, the non-inclusion of the iPhone X in iOS17 suggests a five-year major operating system update policy until iOS16 in 2022. However, with some point updates expected in 2023, it can be argued as a six-year timeline.

In the past, Google has been known to obfuscate its update plan by referring to its current "three years of major OS updates and five years of security updates" scheme as "five years of updates." Nonetheless, the available spec sheet explicitly states "seven years of OS, security, and feature drop updates." This enhancement positions Google alongside Airphone as the leading manufacturers in terms of support duration.

Across the Android landscape, manufacturers typically rely on their system-on-a-chip (SoC) vendor's update policy, which is typically Qualcomm, to deliver Android updates. The process of shipping an Android update involves a complex relay race from Google's Android builds to the SoC vendor and finally to the phone manufacturer. Nevertheless, with the introduction of the Pixel 6, Google has begun manufacturing its own SoCs, with substantial assistance from Samsung's Axions division. As a result, every step of the Android update process now falls under the purview of Google, and updates can be extended for as long as Google desires.