Android phone makers have for years got away with barely supporting their devices, and that needs to change.
Perhaps the most exciting Google Pixel 6 rumor so far has nothing to do with its radical redesign or in-house chipset, but rather the number of updates it will get, with a leak suggesting the Pixel 6 (and Pixel 6 Pro) will get at least five years of software updates. This is excellent news if true. It means not only that the Pixel 6 won’t feel dated as quickly (as its software will remain up to date even as its hardware ages), but also that apps are likely to remain compatible with it for longer, and that it’ll actually be safe to use for longer – because as well as operating system updates, phones also get security updates to patch vulnerabilities. But while I’m very happy to hear this, it’s basically the least I’d expect from a flagship phone in 2021, so other Android phone makers really need to follow suit. Right now, most Android phones only get two years of OS updates. So if your phone launched with Android 9, there’s a good chance it would get Android 10 and 11, but that’s it, and some aren’t even supported for that long. Security updates sometimes run for another year or so, but that still means that after around three years – or less – your phone is not only outdated, but potentially unsafe to use. Whether this is done to push people into buying more phones (and therefore spending more money) or simply because keeping phones updated would be more time and expense for the manufacturer, it seems that ultimately this situation comes down to money, but with how expensive many phones are that’s not okay. Top-end Android phones like the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra and Sony Xperia 1 III cost upwards of $1,000/£1,000/AU$1,800, so the least I’d expect is that we shouldn’t feel the need to replace them two or three years down the line. Not when other expensive tech like computers and TVs can last way longer. And sure, many smartphones are actually quite cheap these days, but they’re still not exactly sold at pocket money prices, and some such phones will only get one major update if they get any at all. If you ask me, we’re well past the point where companies should be getting a free pass on this, especially when there’s already a big example out there of how to do software updates right.
