Google is proving the doubters wrong with its latest software commitment, topping both Apple and Samsung when it comes to future updates and longevity. Both the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro will receive up to seven years of operating system (OS), features, and security updates, meaning they’ll be supported until 2030.
Considering how many AI features are on the docket with this year’s models, the hope is for Google to bring on even more useful capabilities over time.
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That’s a big promise, especially for a company that’s notorious for killing off programs and services just years after release. One of the more recent victims came in the form of the Pixel Pass Subscription, which granted Pixel phone users the ability to upgrade to the latest model after paying off their existing one over two years. The service was axed just weeks before Pixel 6 users would be eligible to upgrade to the new Pixel 8.
The big question that I have, given how much longer Google is planning to refresh the software of the new Pixel phones, is how it will handle hardware support. Unlike Apple, which fields hundreds of retail stores across the country, getting a Pixel phone fixed is less convenient. Not to mention, the device is not globally available, so your chances of finding spare parts in certain regions may be difficult.
