Google Reveals When It'll Stop Supporting Pixel and Nexus Phones

Megalith

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Google has updated their site to clarify when their Pixel and Nexus devices will stop receiving updates and support. Those of you who bought the Pixel or Pixel XL should know that guaranteed Android updates will end October 2018, while October 2019 will see the end of guaranteed security updates. Support for these devices will also terminate in October 2019. You may visit the support page for details on the Nexus.

Based on the info Google listed on its support page, it's staying true to its word. The Pixel and the Pixel XL, which were released in 2016, will get the latest Android updates until October 2018. They'll get security updates until October 2019, the same month Google will stop providing customer service for them. Mountain View will also stop supporting the Huawei-made Nexus 6P and the LG-made 5X in September 2018, a year after they stop getting new OS updates. If you still own a Nexus 6 or a 9, you'll only get security updates until October this year -- after that, you can't call or chat with Google anymore in case you encounter issues with your device.
 
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You guys will still be able to flash all your Google phones, old or new even after the EOL for any particular model. I still consider my Nexus 6 a high-end phone spec wise, in perfect shape and I have faster / newer software on my phone than most do.

There is a huge vibrant ROM community out there that does amazing work keeping these phones updated, alive and relevant.
 
Yes, you will be able to use third-party ROMs with the older devices but you may find that you can't use certain apps like NetFlix and Google/Android Pay.
 
This is pretty much standard for the google phones, 2 years on the os, 3 on security updates. If they ever changed it, there would be no reason to buy them over any other OEM. Still disappointed in the pricing model they went with on the pixel line up this time around.
 
Its beter then a lot of them where you are lucky to get 1 year of updates and now that phones don't have removable batteries anymore you cant really ues them much more then two years anyway.
 
Still way better support then we ever get from Samsung or any other Android phones. Also doesnt take 6 months+ after a new OS upgrade if you even get it.
 
This is pretty much standard for the google phones, 2 years on the os, 3 on security updates. If they ever changed it, there would be no reason to buy them over any other OEM. Still disappointed in the pricing model they went with on the pixel line up this time around.

Huh? Why would they become redundant if they offered updates for an even longer period?
 
Google really should be put to the standard of Apple here. The big Android OEMs offer laughable enough support, as to not even be considered in the conversation. With performance improvements looking more and more marginal with each passing generation, older phones can very much handle newer updates.

I have a OnePlus One that runs 7.1.1 LOS smoothly.
 
Huh? Why would they become redundant if they offered updates for an even longer period?

They aren't offering updates for a longer period. Thats been pretty much the standard for Google phones and tablets. It would be great if they offered longer term support, my comment was skewed more towards if they ever shortened that support window.
 
My Verizon S6 is still getting updated after 2 years, albeit pretty slowly. It has 7.0 on it now. I find it pretty disappointing that a phone that is pushing $1000 is basically disposable after 3 years, potentially less if you don't buy on day 1.

Although as already pointed out, maybe the battery won't last any longer than that anyway. They've done a good job of forcing us in to buying new devices which is smart since we've hit "peak phone" and older hardware is good enough at this point.
 
Battery replacements are about $100. Even less if you do it yourself. I've replaced screens and batteries myself on these glued together phones and tablets. Why it's tedious,it's not that hard.

At least that's one perk with Microsoft windows. At least they support it for 5 years with updates, and 7 for security. Then you have options for extended paid support.
 
On LineageOS with my G3, Netflix works a treat!

Running an N based rom on my aging galaxy s5 and also have no issues with any apps complaining. Better support than Samsung gave it so I definitely buy or recommend phones based on the rom community support around it.
 
3 years is really insufficient as them EOL dates as that means a new phone you get might only be getting security updates for 1 year (or never if its a china phone), phones should get Security updates for 5 years, OS upgrades are not necessary {unless they want to} just security patches or security Mitigation patches as they currently do on 6.0 and higher phones
 
I always wonder about those with Samsung phones and their security. I get security updates every month on my 6p and I don't believe my wife has ever received any updates outside the 7.0 update almost 6 months after I had it.
 
still getting security updates on the S5+ (seems to lag behind the normal S5 by about 2-3 months as S5+ is a rarer phone that or might be my EE UK operator lagging behind on validating them)
 
Makes me sad that they "won't support" the phones after 2 years. 800$ disposable phones suck....i kinda miss the days where a good "dumb phone" was $100 and lasted for 4 years. Only thing that went bad was the battery which you could by for $20 and lasted for 5 days on a single charge.
 
On LineageOS with my G3, Netflix works a treat!
LineageOS on my G2 running 7.1.2 and everything still works great! Phone is surprisingly responsive and snappy given its age, no need to update. I understand manufacturers want to establish their devices as nothing more than a seasonal fashion trend, but christ people, these are some seriously powerful devices that are mostly nothing but e-machines. The web landscape isnt going to change dramatically enough to warrant frequent hardware updates. Maybe if mobile VR catches on then I could justify a need for the latest and greatest performance but for now I find it kind of absurd that people are becoming conditioned to replacing a $600+ piece of hardware every year.
 
Makes me sad that they "won't support" the phones after 2 years. 800$ disposable phones suck...

^ This, right here. It is absurd that within that short of a time-frame an $800+ smartphone has reached it's end (from the manufacturer anyway). Custom ROM's you say? A LOT of people don't know anything about them, won't try or brick them in the process. This is nothing more than forced upgrades.
 
I have a Nexus 6P on Google Fi....I'm starting to get real tired of it. It's always switching to sprint which you cannot do voice + data, and the reception is shitty. Since updating to the latest OS, the phone has been dropping calls like crazy, and the cell network is seemingly 'unavailable' more lately. This is turning me pretty sour on google products honestly.
 
What I mean by you can't get NetFlix to run on your phone is that you can't get NetFlix on your phone running a third-party ROM, the Google Play Store actually hides the app from search results on non-verified devices. I'm sure that many of you heard about this happening a couple of months ago. Something about Google detecting that your phone is rooted and it hides certain apps from the search results if the publisher doesn't want non-verified devices to run the app.
 
They don't say they will not support them, only that is the date guarantee continued support ends, after that, the phone might still get OS updates etc. I don't expect it to be much past that, if at all, however this needs to be made more clear and as others have said, if you wish to flash your own updates, you will be able to long after this.
 
I have a Nexus 6P on Google Fi....I'm starting to get real tired of it. It's always switching to sprint which you cannot do voice + data, and the reception is shitty. Since updating to the latest OS, the phone has been dropping calls like crazy, and the cell network is seemingly 'unavailable' more lately. This is turning me pretty sour on google products honestly.

I am having the same problem, but I am using the latest Android O Beta, so I guess I can't complain.
 
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