It looks like the Pixel 6’s official Android support may not be quite over. Despite the fact the phone was scheduled to get 3 years of Android updates, which expired last month, the phone has been included in the newly-released Android 16 developer preview — suggesting that it may be getting a surprise Android 16 update sometime next year.
It’s a curious development, considering Google didn’t adopt its generous 7 year software support pledge until the launch of the Google Pixel 8. Though as Android Police points out, the mid-range Pixel 6a could have something to do with this.
We know that the Pixel 6a is supposed to lose full Android support in July, limiting the phone to security updates for the next 2 years. Back when we assumed Android 16 would be arriving in late summer or fall, this wasn’t really anything to be concerned about. The phone would get an extra few months of Android 15 support compared to Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro — and would be relegated to security updates for the next 2 years.
But since Google is releasing Android 16 early, the Pixel 6a is in the running to be one of the oldest phones to get the software update. The question is, why would Google put all the legwork into launching Android 16 on Pixel 6a, and not the Pixel 6, when all 3 phones run on pretty similar systems?
After all it would be incredibly easy for Google to not let the core Pixel 6 range into the developer preview — and nobody would have questioned it. Both phones are in the phase where they only get security updates, and it’s not like Google ever kept that timeline a secret.
As Android Police says, it’s actually better to rollout security fixes to the most up-to-date version of Android, rather than back porting to an old one. It’s all to do with being able to differentiate between a security update and bug fix, and if the Android (and Linux) kernel isn’t up to date phone manufacturers have to rely on individual fixes being identified as security updates before they get rolled out — which could be a security fix.
For that reason Google actually recommends phone-makers keep their phones on the latest version of Android wherever possible. Though few Android phones actually get more than 2 or 3 years of full Android updates. That privilege is typically only on offer for the likes of Google, Samsung and the Fairphone.
Until Google makes an official announcement about Android 16 support, we’re not going to know for sure. But right now, it’s almost looking as though the Pixel 6 may get a little bit more life blown into it.
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