Leak says Google Pixel 6 could see 5 years of updates
TL; DR
- A recent leak suggests that Google is hoping to offer software updates for the unreleased Google Pixel 6 series for five years.
- In theory, that would mean four Android versions and one last year of software maintenance.
- While the source of this leak isn’t rock-solid, that promise would match Apple’s promise with iOS, so it makes sense.
We expect that the next Pixel device will be the Google Pixel 5a. However, this phone is intended for budget-conscious buyers. After the launch of this phone, we expect Google to launch its certainly exciting flagship range with the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro.
This rumor follows on from another rumor that Google plans to use silicon they’ve designed themselves on the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. One of the obstacles to offering Android updates for more than three years is the chipset manufacturers like Qualcomm or MediaTek. After a period of time, these companies ditch older products, making it difficult to bring new versions of Android to older devices.
However, if Google uses its own silicon in the Google Pixel 6 series, this is no longer a problem. In theory, it could keep offering updates for as long as it wants. However, Apple does offer updates to iPhones for around five years (give or take one year), so it makes a lot of sense for Google to stick to a five-year limit.
We expect Google to launch the Pixel 6 series in October. Hopefully by then we’ll get some leaked information to back up this rumor.
