When Google announced the Pixel 6 series with the in-house Tensor CPU, enthusiasts hoped for longer software support on the Pixel series. To everyone’s surprise, the search giant stuck with the same three years of OS updates and five years of security patches. With the introduction of the Pixel 8 series, Google finally sets the bar high with seven years of Android system and security updates.

How many Android updates will the Pixel 8 get?

The Google Pixel 8 series hits the shelves with Android 14 out of the box. Google promises to support it until the end of the decade. This means the Pixel 8 should receive seven major Android OS updates until Android 21 in 2030.

Google also has you covered for Pixel 8 spare parts over that period. After all, the Pixel 8 hardware, especially the battery, may not keep up with software support over time.

Google advertises the same seven years of security updates for the Pixel 8 series. Since the Pixel 8 launched in October 2023, you can expect to receive security patches until October 2023 at least.

Google hasn’t promised security updates beyond seven years. However, don’t be surprised if the search giant supports the latest Pixel flagship with critical patches beyond the promised timeline.

The company usually releases security updates on the first working Monday of the month. However, sometimes, Google runs into last-minute bugs and may delay the monthly patch for a specific month.

How many Pixel Feature Drops will the Pixel 8 get?

As the name suggests, Pixel Feature Drops add Pixel-exclusive features to your compatible Pixel phone. Unlike Android updates and security patches, Google doesn’t stick with a specific release cycle for Pixel Feature Drops. The company rolls out these add-ons every few months.

Looking at past trends, Google releases Pixel Feature Drop once a quarter. You can expect around four Feature Drops in a year. Google recently released the October 2023 Feature Drop, while the previous one came in June 2023. We expect another Pixel Feature Drop before the end of the year.

As for the Pixel 8 series, it should receive the Feature Drops up until the end of 2030. However, some Pixel Feature Drop features won’t come to older Pixel devices.

With seven years of software support on the Pixel 8, Google now has the best phone update policy in the industry.

Before the Pixel 8 launch, Samsung was the software updates king, offering four major OS upgrades and five years of security patches for some of its Galaxy devices. However, unlike Google, Samsung doesn’t release the latest Android system update to all compatible phones at the same time. Flagship devices receive the newest Android-based One UI update first, followed by mid-rangers and older flagships. The South Korean giant is quick and sometimes even beats Google to the punch with monthly security updates.

OnePlus and Xiaomi also match Samsung with four years of OS updates and five years of security patches on their flagship offerings.

Apple doesn’t outline any software update policy for iPhones. The company usually supports its phones for five to six years. For example, the iPhone X originally shipped with iOS 11 at launch in November 2017. It received iOS updates until iOS 16 in 2022.