What you need to know
- Google details its seven-year update approach for the Pixel 8 series as one that's relaxed with updates of "higher quality" and only the "best tested."
- Google will not commit to a set date for any such updates as they are planning on releasing them when they are ready.
- The company is also including replacement hardware support in this seven-year plan which is likely a nod to its iFixit partnership.
Following Google's latest batch of reveals, the company is detailing what consumers can expect from its extended support for its latest Pixel phones.
The Pixel 8 series launched with an impressive seven years of software support, taking the device straight into 2030. Google says via a Keyword post that users part of this means that users shouldn't expect a concrete date for when they will receive patches and larger OS updates. Google is focusing on "higher quality" updates for its Pixel devices and users who own them.
As such, the company notes that it will deploy updates "as soon as they’ve completed the necessary tests to ensure they improve the experience for all Pixel customers."
Included in this seven-year plan are Pixel feature drops, security updates, Android OS updates, and Google's AI technology. Google adds that the choice to extend its update support to a whopping seven years (which is unprecedented for Android) was "natural."
Additionally, Google is bringing this same commitment to its provided hardware parts as well. While not explicitly stated, this is likely referencing Google's partnership with iFixit, which provides parts for several of its Pixel devices like the Pixel Fold and the Pixel 7a.
Offered parts range from new displays in case of cracks and scratches to new batteries and rear covers.
This should hopefully allay any potential concerns for anyone questioning whether a phone can physically last long enough to reap the benefits from seven years of software support. Consumers often hold onto phones well past the point where they stop receiving software updates, and these devices often suffer from degraded batteries and other such wear and tear the longer they're used.
We're also not completely flying blind with Google's new relaxed approach to the Pixel 8 series' update plan. It's pretty typical of the company to release its monthly security updates during the first (or second) week, much like it has with its latest October 2023 security patch. Similarly, it usually tries to stick to its ways and release Pixel feature drops quarterly — although there's never really a date for when those will drop.
With that, facing our more immediate future is the Android 14 feature drop, likely arriving in December as the company kickstarted its QPR1 beta before the OS dropped.
Google's latest Pixel 8 Pro has arrived sporting a 6.7-inch display and the same strong cameras consumers have come to expect. However, the company has packed much more of its AI technology into the Pixel 8 Pro to assist with its Audio Magic Eraser and other such tools to ensure your shots stay perfect.
