TL;DR
- Initially, the Pixel 6, Pixel 7, and Pixel Fold were guaranteed three years of operating system updates.
- As mentioned on the updated support page, all the phones in the Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 lineup, along with the Pixel Fold, will now get five years of operating system and security updates.
In an unprecedented development, Google has extended the software support for some of the older Pixel phones. While new devices like the Pixel 8, Pixel 9 (review), and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold include seven years of operating system and security updates, some older devices like the Pixel 6, Pixel 7, and the Pixel Fold included fewer updates. However, that’s not the case anymore.
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Pixel 6, Pixel 7, And Pixel Fold Gets Two More Years Of Android Updates
Initially, the Pixel 6, Pixel 7, and Pixel Fold were guaranteed three years of operating system updates. In other words, Android 15 would have been the last major update for the Pixel 6, while the Pixel 7 wouldn’t have received an update after Android 16. Now, Google has silently updated the software support page.
As mentioned on the updated support page, all the phones in the Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 lineup, along with the Pixel Fold, will now get five years of operating system and security updates, “starting from when the device first became available.”
Pixel 6 Will Get Android 17 Update
This gives the Pixel 6 another two years before the phone stops receiving the latest software updates from Google. While Android 15 would have been the last software update for the Pixel 6, the series will now get Android 16 and Android 17 updates as well. The Pixel 7a will get updates till July 2027.
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Pixel 7 Will Get Android 18 Update
At launch, the Pixel 7 and the Pixel 7 Pro were said to receive Android version updates until at least October 2025. However, two additional years of updates would increase the support till October 2027 (Android 18). The Pixel 7a will get updates till May 2028, the same as the Pixel Fold.
Potential Buyers Can Get The Phone At a Discounted Price And Use Them With Software Support
This is not just good news for the existing Pixel 6, Pixel 7, or Pixel Fold users but also for those who were holding back from getting these devices at a discounted rate. It is commendable how Google is delivering more than what it initially promised. However, there are no changes for other Pixel phones or wearable devices.
Given that Google already released the Android 16 DPI to Pixel 6 a few days ago, the company must be sure about how the upcoming operating system will perform on the older device, which is also why it has added the information on the support page (making it official).
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