You can probably expect GOS support as long as Google supports the device, that is the main limitation. For the newer Pixels that is promised to be 7 years after release.
Going by this table, Pixel 6 is currently the oldest to get full GOS updates
That matches Google's software support
Just an FYI for those who think like this. I DID TOO.
Your cellular chip and network carrier will often phase out your frequency bands 2 to 3 years before the 7 year mark. Thus your service (internet/data) will not work long before your device loses updates. You will get fed up with your device and buy another pixel roughly every 3 generations to keep with reliable internet connectivity.
This must depend on country and carrier. My carrier has never removed 4G or 5G bands. They've added new ones and they've phased out 2G and some 3G but that's all. My phones from 10 years ago can still connect just fine, although obviously newer ones are faster.
Few posts down I wrote two replies to some questions. This is also correct. They don't phase out your network. They alter it. You will still have 4G and 5G it's simply that we are still playing with the frequency bands for each tower and transmitter type. As we try to nail down the best functioning wave lengths. Your internet should relatively function the same and I say relatively loosely. For better or worse. Those bands 4g and 5g are not leaving, they just get altered.
We keep a standard set of bands like n71 and a handful of others. But there's also many more inside your cellular chipset that change each model. Which means it's possible your service could be more or less spotty. Depending on phone model, carrier, and location.
This is the answer. GrapheneOS still needs the binary blob updates from Google or probably more correctly Googles suppliers.
Pixel 8A you can get probably very affordable now and will get updates until 2031. It's more likely that by that time you will have dropped your phone and break it or simply want a hardware upgrade.
It also supports playing AV1 in hardware even at 4k resolution.
I just ordered an 8a because of how affordable it is used on eBay (~$250USD) and specifically for long support time it still has. Probably the best bang for your buck version
I bought it new last April from mint mobile: 399 with 12 months of phone service(I'm on $15/5gb/12 month plan now). Saved me $10/month vs. visible and I had to get a new phone anyway as my p5 was aged out of security updates. Basically with the savings on my monthly bill it dropped the price of the phone $120 in my first year so $279 for a new phone and 12 months of service.
The 9a is starting to drop prices, if you need to re-up with a carrier I'd look for deals, might be able to get one new for the same price or less.
That was certainly a good deal you found yourself. I personally don't like paying off a phone from a cell provider
That is now in question after Google has decided to close android development.
Android development isn't closed. The Pixels no longer have public device trees provided by Google, but no other device manufacturer did that either. It was a nice to have, but Graphene still got a fully functional Android 16 build out without them within a few weeks, and the device trees aren't why they build for Pixels, it's the security features.
That's another issue. AOSP is effectively being developed in a closed environment, with only the final code being published on github after release. So AOSP if effectively not being developed in the open any more
The devicetrees between Android versions is effectively the same. They define the hardware
We won't know the impact until they try to bring up the Pixel 10
My ne lasted a little less than 3 years. It's not the best phone if I'm honest. Battery life is horrible.
If the applications lag to the point where you can't stand it, you're going to need a new phone anyway and for most people who use social media applications like WhatsApp etc., the performance of the phone goes outdated much sooner than the support of the OS.
I can only share experience with Sailfish OS: As long as you don't drop your phone, it will easily last five years and might last eight. It depends of course as well how much you use some of the cancer that the modetn web is. Looking up the Arch Wiki requires a lot less ressources than browsing LinkedIn.
By 8 years old even the newest devices will be out of software support and using EOL phones is not a particularly great idea for security. GOS's security focus goes out the window if you use an old version with known vulnerabilities.
Sailfish OS has very long support times and the licenses I got so far are without time limit. IIRC that has changed or might change but still significantly longer than any vendor Android.
Question is how "real" that support is - firmware updates matter and depend mostly on the chip manufacturer's support.
firmware updates matter and depend mostly on the chip manufacturer's support.
Can you give examples for this?
The deeper problem is that the OS Vendors for phones are already adversial. They want to extract as much pesonal data as possible. IMO, that is not really better than having malware on one's phone.
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