Key Takeaways
- Google is likely to release the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro in October, with a key upgrade that will give them additional years of software updates, putting them on par with iPhones.
- The current Pixel phones come with five years of security updates, but Google is aiming to expand that with the Pixel 8 series, matching Apple's longevity in supporting iPhones.
- This improvement in software updates will benefit buyers of Pixel phones, allowing them to use their devices for longer and reducing the need for frequent replacements.
Google's likely to announce the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro in October and a new report suggests that the releases will include a key upgrade that won't be immediately obvious but could be vital in the long run.
That change will finally put some of the best Android phones on par with devices like the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro by giving them additional years of software updates - fixing a long-running problem that Android users, and indeed buyers of the Pixel line of phones specifically, have had to deal with.
Software updates for years
When it comes to supporting smartphones via future software updates Apple has long been the gold standard with iPhones almost a decade old routinely receiving new security updates. Models that are not much newer than that continue to get feature updates via the most recent iOS updates as well, but Google has been comparatively lacking despite the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro coming with five years of "Pixel updates."
Until now, at least.
9to5Google now reports that Google is working to improve the longevity of its Pixel devices, starting with the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro's release later this year - and it's Apple that the company is keen to emulate.
"We’re hearing that Google plans to competitively boost how many years of OS updates the Pixel 8 series and presumably future devices will get," the report reads, adding that "from what we’re hearing, Pixel 8’s update promise should surpass Samsung’s current policy on flagships and meaningfully match the iPhone."
For comparison, Samsung promises four years of major Android updates and the current Pixels' five years doesn't mean five major Android releases - the final two years are security updates only.
However, as the report notes, "the devil is in the details." It goes on, adding that "for example, the Galaxy line has, in the past, adopted a quarterly approach towards the end." With that in mind, 'even a bump to just five years of OS updates for Pixel would be enough and let the Google phone be at the top of the ecosystem, with anything beyond that squarely going after the iPhone’s record."
If this turns out to be accurate it's good news for everyone, not least buyers of Pixel phones from here on out. It'll hopefully ensure that people don't need to replace their handsets so often moving forward.