Your Google Pixel or Pixel XL may be further from the end of its support cycle than you thought — if you're used to Android releases, that is.
Google's premium smartphone won't get any more major updates after next year, the company revealed on its support page today. More specifically, no more guaranteed Android version updates will arrive after October 2018.
This means that after the release of Android O this summer, Pixel owners can expect at least one more guaranteed major update (presumably Android P) before things go up in the air.
Additionally, Pixel owners will no longer be guaranteed access to the handset's on-device tech support, or receive regular security updates, after October 2019.
It's important to note that Google is only announcing the latest it can guarantee further support, meaning that additional updates (Android Q?) could still be compatible with its premium phone.
That said, Android isn't (currently) known for catching up to older devices, so don't hold your breath.
De-Pixelated
For those not ready to replace their top-shelf phone less than a year after it came out, the Pixel and Pixel XL's remaining two-plus years of support mean it'll be quite some time before you'll feel the "age" of your smartphone.
Still, while the Pixel and Pixel XL have relatively longer support lifespans than some other Android phones, by comparison the iPhone is outliving its competition.
At the time of writing, the four-year-old iPhone 5S is still receiving major updates like this year's iOS 11. Android O, meanwhile, might be the Pixel's penultimate Android update.
Thankfully, with the help of Google's recently announced Project Treble program, Android updates should come much quicker than before, giving you ample good times ahead before the phone becomes obsolete.
Via Android Central
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