Source: Google Pixel 8 will get more Android OS updates - 9to5google
Google is hoping to change how many major Android OS updates the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro gets in a move to surpass Samsung and meet the iPhone...
This is an overall win. The upward pressure is good for everyone, as phones have passed the meteoric rise of speed. Devices have been able to last far longer than their update cycle for a few years now.
Cool do the same for the rest.
My thoughts on it: cool, now give it a headphone jack again and I might buy it.
I'm not buying a phone that requires $100 wireless earbud DLC (which honestly feel like just another thing to become e-waste in a few years when the battery gives out).
It would be cool if they backported the promise. But I don't expect it, honestly.
They are not in charge of other oems updates, that's why Play System updates were created (mainline modules)
I was talking about pixels man. Lol
I mean they did that with the og pixel. Idk why they wouldn't do that with the 6 and 7?
Yes please do the bare minimum
Wait I'm confused are they going to up it to 8 years now for the 8th gen or is the number of years still up to debate? Either way not bad especially if they keep their current practices of being repairable and third party os friendly
Have you read the article
Instructions unclear. Browser stuck in Lemmy.
Yeah my fault kinda skimmed it
One can dream. Also, given the upcoming EU regulations around replaceable batteries, they may have some work done around this area too. That would be essential for a device with long term support.
Would have loved to see this for my 4A but glad they're looking to extend the support window moving forward. Many phones now are powerful enough to go years past their obsolescence date and chucking them away is just e-waste.
Still have a 3a going strong. And I bought it as soon as it came out
Custom roms have proven that Pixels could have lasted about an extra 1-2 more android versions before performance really caught up. The Pixel 2 could run Android 13, albeit a bit buggier since it's unofficial. My only guess would be costly reasons for Google to further support those devices longer at the time.
Only 3 years of OS updates, then you need a new phone. Give 5 years directly so you can start thinking about competing with iOS. What is the problem? They have control of the software and the hardware like Apple.
The 'problem' is that supporting 'old' hardware won't net them the same high profit margins to which they've grown accustomed.
Not really true because Apple can do it, higher margins and support OS much longer. The problem is how they design their OS and the amount of work required. Just look at how long time Windows support all hardware. It is possible, all is just software. They just need to take the hugh upfront cost of the software development that can even help other vendors and suddenly you can do a lot of about the big OS fragmentation problem. You want your latest OS to run on like 90% of all devices. Today, I guess that number is down to like 15%.
Also is that 3 years from the first day they sell one or 3 years from the last day they sell one?
First day they sell one.
You say that 5 years is needed to compete with iPhone but Android is 4 years ahead of iOS so effectively your net result after 3 years is still further forward than iOS after 5
No, you need to look at OS API level which gets updated every OS. App developers just assume that based on age that they will no longer support older devices.
This article is garbage. It never says what the expected change even is. Like is it 5 years? Idk since it never says.
With how terrible my P7P update experience has been (literally every update has made the phone buggier and more unstable) I'm no longer sure if this is a good thing or not. Maybe if they fix their insane QA issues.
Switch to graphene OS
I got my phone through my carrier. Unbeknownst to me at the time, carrier provided phones have locked bootloaders so you can't install grapheneOS on them, or if you can, I haven't found a guide to reliably do so. The phone was $800 off through the carrier so I can't complain too much, but I would have got it straight from Google if I had known prior to buying that you can't install grapheneOS on it.
@gvasco @IdleSheep recently it's even slightly buggy too, but it's still orders of magnitude lower than stock.
It's pretty embarrassing that Google got outdone by Samsung on the update front. Mid range Samsungs getting more Android version updates than flagship Google Pixel devices should never happen. Google matching or exceeding them is the minimum of what should be expected.
Also the first few generations of tensor just being a rebadged Exynos processor has hit their reputation hard. Everyday users don't know what chip is in their phone, but they do know that cell reception and thermals have gotten worse since the change.
Doesn't mean much with how bad the QA and overall lifespan of Pixel devices have been unfortunately. Hopefully better this time but hard to want to put money in when the previous generations all had such issues and bad QC.
Extending warranty for the 5As then handing out equally defective devices is a pain. I'm on my 3rd one and I'm really not planning on it surviving over a year since none of the others did and when they died I was sitting down using the phone.
Only thing keeping me on them is GrapheneOS, too difficult to go back after getting a taste of it lol
I still have a 3a, never had an issue... I might have been lucky
Wish I could unlock my Verizon Pixel 7 Pro's bootloader so I can put something less robust on it.
My Pixel 5 was going strong until it landed face down on some granite.
1 reason I'll never buy anything Verizon. Had to prematurely get rid of phones that could've lasted years more.
I fucked up and bought an unlocked phone without checking the original provider. It astounds me nobody's figured out how to fix this yet. Going to have to live with it for a while.
It's good but I personally don't care, phone manufactures will eventually stop updating their old phones, since Pixel phones are so open I can rely on third party ROMs comfortably, that's also why I got the Pixel 6 Pro at the first place. Although I would admit for the mass majority an Apple like updating experience is essential.
I would really like to see Google improve their hardwares, I have no complaints with my 6 Pro whatsoever, but it's obviously inferior to the Samsung's S Series Ultra or the Apple's iPhone Pro, both in terms of specs and designs. I have no issues with specs since I don't play games but I believe most people still do, designs however is much more important especially in the premium phones frontend.
Pissel devices are like bad hardware plus best software experience making it mediocre at best. Idk when they'll ship good quality tensor soc. And before someone come and tell me hey i own a pissel and it's fine for me. Guess what it's not fine for me.
Here are the cons
Bad cellular reception : yes really bad on 5g. Overheats like crazy. When it overheats ui lags like hell.
At least the x key works on my phone.
Pix off.
What s key?
The good news is, with Pixel 8 they're supposed to start moving away from Exynos design elements. Bad news is, it's probably going to take a few years. Hopefully they replace the cellular radio sooner than later.
Yeah, I'm really disappointed with my Pixel 7a. It gets terrible battery life. I'm charging twice/day on a new phone with light use. Sometimes thrice/day when I'm using my phone more heavily.
With my 3a, I stopped charging at 85% to keep my battery healthy for longer and got a full day or if it for years. With this phone, I'm charging to 100% and unplugging, and waking up to a phone at < 75% charge.
I'm probably going to sell this phone and get something else. I'm getting battery anxiety.
@blindsight @Apeeksiht my 6a's battery life w/ GrapheneOS is great. Not the best, but lasts a day of moderate use just fine. Days of heavy use I'll have to charge it in the late afternoon, and days of light use it's almost like I haven't unplugged it.