Google says Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro stick with 3 years of major OS updates, 5 years of security

Ben Schoon | Oct 19 2021 - 10:35 am PT

The new Pixel 6 series delivers the company’s in-house Tensor chip which is supposed to upgrade how long these phones last. While it does do that, it’s a bit disappointing to see that the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro will only get 3 years of major Android OS updates.

Confirmed to Ron Amadeo at ArsTechnica, Google says that the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro will get 3 years of major Android updates, on par with the company’s current Qualcomm-powered Pixels. That’s not to say there won’t be any upgrades past then, as Google will be offering 5 years of security updates.

Google’s full statement reads:

We build Pixel phones to get better over time with software and feature updates, so starting with Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro Pixels will now receive security updates for at least 5 years. Users will still get at least 3 years of OS updates, after which we’re committing to ensure that Pixels will stay up-to-date and secure. The frequency and categories of updates will depend on the capabilities and needs of the hardware.

On a support page, Google provides more specific dates.

While this is still a bit disappointing, it’s still in stark contrast to the rest of Google’s competition on Android. Most OEMs are hesitant to provide long-term support. Samsung, for instance, only offers a maximum of 4 years of support for its devices, and that’s a new policy that only applies to a select few devices.

Hopefully, Google will expand this policy in future generations.