TL;DR
- A recent leak suggests Google is hoping to offer five years of software updates for the unreleased Google Pixel 6 series.
- Theoretically, that would mean four Android versions and a final year of software maintenance.
- While the source of this leak isn’t rock-solid, this promise would match Apple’s promise with iOS, so it makes sense.
We expect the next Pixel device to be the Google Pixel 5a. However, that phone will be for budget-minded buyers. After the launch of that phone, we expect Google to launch its sure-to-be-exciting flagship series with the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro.
This rumor ties in with another rumor that Google plans to use self-designed silicon in the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. One of the roadblocks to offering Android updates for more than three years is the chipset manufacturers, such as Qualcomm or MediaTek. After a certain amount of time, these companies abandon older products which makes bringing new Android versions to older devices difficult.
If Google is going to use its own silicon in the Google Pixel 6 series, though, this won’t be a problem anymore. Theoretically, it could offer updates for as long as it wants. However, Apple offers about five years of updates for iPhones (give or take a year), so Google sticking with a five-year limit makes a lot of sense.
We expect Google to launch the Pixel 6 series in October. Hopefully, between now and then, we’ll get some more leaked info to corroborate this rumor.
