If you own a Pixel 6, Pixel 7, or Pixel Fold, your device is now set for two extra years of Android OS upgrades.
As PCMag reports, these older Pixel models will now get five years’ worth of updates, counted from when the device first became available on the Google Store in the US, two years more than initially planned. This means that the Pixel 6, released in 2021, will continue getting OS updates until 2026. Meanwhile, the Pixel 7 released in 2022, will continue getting updates until 2027. The Pixel Fold, released in 2023, will keep getting the latest Android updates until 2028.
Though the latest announcement may be welcome news for some, users of older Pixel smartphones still fall far behind users of newer Pixel phones when it comes to the lifespan of their software support. Users of the Pixel 8 and up are set to get a full seven years of support. This means that the Pixel 8, released in 2023, will get support until 2030.
The extended support news comes as many states such as California are now forcing smartphone makers to provide longer lifespans for their devices, according to Engadget. In October 2023, Governor Gavin Newsom signed the California Right to Repair Act, known as SB 244, after years of opposition from companies like Apple (which later changed its tune).
The California bill requires manufacturers to provide tools, parts, and repair information to consumers and independent repair shops. For products costing more than $99.99—such as all Pixel smartphones—this support now needs to be available for seven years. In March, Oregon’s governor also signed a strong right-to-repair bill, which banned parts pairing.
Though many Pixel users haven’t even updated to Android 15 yet, Google is already actively testing Android 16 among developers, with a tentative release date pegged for May 2025. Android 16 will make it easier to maintain privacy for your photo gallery when using third-party apps and provide better integrations for those storing medical records, alongside unspecified improvements to Android’s Privacy Sandbox.
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