How many Android updates do phones get? This depends on the manufacturer, but typically we’re looking at 2-3 years worth of major OS updates, but for Google’s upcoming Pixel 6 smartphones, it seems that Google could actually be giving the phone as many as four major OS updates.
This is according to a tweet by @_snoopytech_ who claims that for the Pixel 6, Google could be giving the handset four major OS updates. Presumably the phone will launch with Android 12 on board, so what this means is that the phone will be supported up to Android 16, which is actually pretty cool and a decent amount of time for a handset to be supported.
Pixel 6 gets 4 OS Upgrades and 5 Years of Security Patches
— Snoopy (@_snoopytech_) October 13, 2021
A previous report had apparently suggested that the phone could also be eligible for as long as five years of security updates, so combine this with the four major OS updates and you’ve got yourself a pretty good deal. Most people change their phones every 2-3 years, but if you’re the type that holds onto their devices for longer periods of time, this will ensure that your phone will be supported even if you keep it for the next 4-5 years.
That being said, we guess we shouldn’t be too surprised. Google is behind both Android and its Pixel phones so for them to support it longer than other manufacturers makes sense, although hopefully this is a behavior that other handset makers could adopt in the future as well.
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