Going into the launch of the Pixel 6, there was a lot of talk about how many years of updates the phones would get. Some rumors said that Tensor would allow Google to offer five years of Android OS updates. It turns out the phones will get three.
During the Pixel 6 event, Google mentioned that the company would offer five years of security updates, which led some users to believe that their phone would get five Android OS updates. However, Google clarified that it'd offer at least three years of Android updates and five years of security patches.
In a statement to The Verge, Google said, "Users will still get at least three years of OS updates, after which we're committing to ensure that Pixels will stay up-to-date and secure. The frequency and categories of updates will depend on the capabilities and needs of the hardware."
A look at Google's Pixel support page confirms that, as well. The page says that Google will offer Android OS updates until at least October 2024 and security updates until October 2026.
We were hoping that Google using its own chip would allow the company to offer a more Apple-like upgrade system for its users, After all, Apple just upgraded 2015's iPhone 6S to iOS 15. Still, three years of guaranteed Android updates isn't bad; it just would have been nice to see Google push things forward more.