12 ms·

Pixel 8 leak promises 7 years of OS updates

174 points by nickthegreek 3y ago

jauntywundrkind 3y ago
Has even a single Android phone received a major or minor kernel update ever (ex: 5.4 -> 5.10)? That felt like what Treble & creating an entirely Android specific way of building kernel modules (the GKI, "Generic Kernel Image", specifically for Android) was for. Instead of having to upstream modules or support them against an ever-moving kernel interface, the kernel could move & drivers would have a special Android specific interface to code against that would be stable. That was the plan, yes? But I'm not sure this has ever actually happened or gotten used yet? Android wrote it's own wrapper for the kernel, but is it even having the upside it was built for? Recent thread on a 2021 post on Android kernel dev: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37612699 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37612699
- cypress66 3y ago
  I assume you mean major version? Because the kernel gets updated all the time otherwise.
- red_trumpet 3y ago
  My Nokia 6.2 got updates from Android 9 to Android 10 and Android 11.
  - bkallus 3y ago
    Android updates often do not come with kernel updates. Major kernel updates are difficult because of the tangle of proprietary modules in most Android kernels. To partially answer GP's question: Unofficial major kernel updates have happened in the past. OnePlus 6T, for example, shipped with 4.9.x, but supports mainline on pmOS.
    - jauntywundrkind 3y ago
      I own a Linux running OnePlus 6T. :) Still not sure if any Android upgrade has ever had a major or minor kernel upgrade.
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
parheric 3y ago
Yeh I doubt this will ever happen in a way that provides real value for pixel owners… when they started using their own chips it was meant to be 5 years, then turned out to be 3 years of updates. They’ve had the opportunity for I provide security updates for their old pixels for years but chose not too. So this is just marketing fluff to get a few more sales… And in typical Google style after 3 years they’ll say “yeh… about those 7 years, we really meant 3” Pixel pass anyone?
- kyrra 3y ago
  Any source for pixel phones that were promised 5 years, only getting three?
  - Borgz 3y ago
    I think they are referring to the Pixel 6 [1]. If the same happened again, Google might announce that the Pixel 8 will receive 4 or 5 years of major Android version updates and 7 years of security updates. However, the alleged leaked specs for the Pixel 8 explicitly state "7 years of OS and security updates" [2], so I think they do actually intend on 7 years of major Android version updates. [1] https://www.theverge.com/2021/10/19/22735485/google-pixel-6-three-years-android-updates-security-feature https://www.theverge.com/2021/10/19/22735485/google-pixel-6-... [2] https://www.91mobiles.com/hub/google-pixel-8-pro-specifications-revealed/ https://www.91mobiles.com/hub/google-pixel-8-pro-specificati...
    - msm_ 3y ago
      As an owner of an Android phone (Pixel 4a) that just reached EOL and for which a potential 0-click RCE 0day was just released (the webp thing), I'd take three more years of security updates on the spot. But well, I guess time for a new phone.
      - yjftsjthsd-h 3y ago
        Installing LineageOS is cheaper then a new phone.
htatche 3y ago
Knowing how Google shortlives their products time after time, I'll pass, thanks.
least 3y ago
I owned the original Nexus 5 phone and Nexus 7 tablet. I love both of these devices for their design but both had serious issues. The Nexus 7's storage degraded, which rendered the device unusably slow. I thought it was the upgrade to the next version of Android that did it, but downgrading it did not fix the issue. There's been some workarounds that made it slightly more usable but ultimately it was a serious hardware defect that made it unbearably slow to use even with these workarounds. The Nexus 5 had a bootlooping issue — I had the issue occur on my first Nexus 5, 2 weeks out of warranty. Fortunately Google was kind enough to send me a refurbished one... that shortly after had the same bootloop issue. My opinion of Google has gradually deteriorated over time to the point now where I actively avoid using anything made by Google because 1) they can't do hardware right and 2) they sunset way too many products for me to feel comfortable using them. So the promise of 7 years of OS updates on a hardware device by Google just seems empty and maybe pointless because I don't trust the device itself will continue functioning, even if the updates keep coming... which I have doubts they will. While I was still using Android, my Samsung Galaxy S6 was probably the most headache-free experience I had, even with the complete lack of feature/OS updates but as it stands, my iPhones have all been rock solid devices, so that is probably what I will continue using unless something drastic changes.
- matwood 3y ago
  Same. I had both those devices and at the time of purchase they were a great value contrast to the iPhone/iPad. But, after the issues you describe I went back to iPhones and never looked back. Google had a great opportunity that they squandered.
- doublepg23 3y ago
  Yeah I feel like Samsung has a very good value proposition in 2023. I guess my biggest thing is it requires you to remove all the bloat and adware as a prerequisite.
- IntelMiner 3y ago
  I have to admit, I'm on the opposite end of the spectrum there, having had both devices I loved my 2012 Nexus 7, and was a Day 1 upgrader to the 2013 model (my Mom enjoyed the 2012 for many years for eBooks and Facebook) My Nexus 5 I was also a day 1 purchase, upgrading from a slowly deteriorating Galaxy S2. Unfortunately I had to replace it much earlier after I slipped and fell on uneven concrete and shattered the screen If Google could just take the SoC of the Pixel 6/7/8/whatever and stuff it in the housing of the Nexus 7 2013, give it a modern battery and a nice OLED screen it would truly be the best tablet on the market. But instead they want "bigger" and are chasing after the iPad with the new pixel tablet
impish19 3y ago
This has barely ever tipped the needle for me when deciding to buy a phone. I switched to a Pixel a couple of years ago for two main features: Call Screening - https://support.google.com/phoneapp/answer/9118387?hl=en https://support.google.com/phoneapp/answer/9118387?hl=en Hold for me - https://support.google.com/assistant/answer/10071878?hl=en https://support.google.com/assistant/answer/10071878?hl=en They're immensely valuable and I feel Apple is absolutely dumb for having equivalents baked in already. If they did, I'd happily switch over.
- BugsJustFindMe 3y ago
  iOS 17 has added real time voicemail transcription in a way that sounds a lot like Android's call screening.
  - izacus 3y ago
    It's absolutely not the same feature.
- slipperlobster 3y ago
  Call Screening is in iOS17. I agree that Hold for me would be great on iOS.
- Kirby64 3y ago
  iOS now supports live voicemails. Functionally equivalent to call screening, except a slightly different prompt. The nice thing is this is on everything that runs ios17, instead of just the latest. Android seems to unnecessarily silo special features into just pixel phones for no apparent hardware reason. Often times you can sideload (with root access typically) the special pixel only features on any phone. Nothing yet to compare to hold for me, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was coming soon.
  - gruez 3y ago
    > iOS now supports live voicemails. Functionally equivalent to call screening, except a slightly different prompt. Not really. For one, the caller knows that there's someone on the other end reading it live, as opposed to live voicemail where you don't know whether your message will be seen immediately or whenever the other person decides to check their voicemails. Also call screening allows you to prompt follow up questions which you can't do with live voicemail.
geodel 3y ago
[flagged]
supernova87a 3y ago
The problem isn't so much that Google has a hard time old phones on their OS maintenance team books, and even just phoning in the effort to keep them working (hah). It's that they actively don't want to do any work that isn't sexy and supporting new products. I don't think their teams are incentivized to do so. Let me play it out with an example. At Apple, a team/individual might be actively told to have to use an iPhone 8 for their daily use, so they get to experience what it's like for a user with an older phone. They solve the users' pain by solving their own pain, and commit to making the experience actually better with future iOS releases. Not just keeping it working but actually making it better if possible. Google has shown time and time again that they're not thinking like that. Or at least not setting up the company to be rewarded like that. I will also posit that the single-handed ownership of the iOS app store makes deficiencies fall squarely on Apple, so they are more directly blamed/responsible when phone performance gets worse. With Android, and so many reasons a team could claim that other factors are causing negative trends in performance, who cares to keep making an old phone better?
- thedougd 3y ago
  I agree with the theme of your post, but I think it's often overlooked that Android doesn't necessitate full operating system updates to deliver new functionality as iOS does. Owners will regularly receive updates to basic apps such as phone, calendar, contacts, etc. through the on-going Play Store updates, even after 3 years.
  - BoorishBears 3y ago
    This often gets brought up, but it's only because of a similar ill-discipline to what the comment you replied to is talking about. AOSP has basic apps for all of those use cases, but presumably because it's much sexier to work on closed source in-house apps that get to be updated as often as the team feels like instead of being forced to work in the margins of the OS update schedule... they languished to the point of unusability. I'm not even sure if they'd all run on the latest version of Android, some of them are still using Kit-Kat era UIs last I checked
thatoneguy 3y ago
It's still a device wedded to an OS that wants your data shipped off to a company that knows how to use it against you vs a device iOS put out by a company that seems so wildly inept in this space that they just went whole-hog on privacy, at least publicly.
- thefz 3y ago
  > It's still a device wedded to an OS that wants your data shipped off to a company that knows how to use it against you vs a device iOS put out by a company that seems so wildly inept in this space that they just went whole-hog on privacy, at least publicly. Apple still sells your user data to advertisers, they just want to be the only one to do so, for profit.
  - kaba0 3y ago
    Apple displays a goddamn relevant result in the AppStore, while Google actively makes use of every single movement you make — it is just a completely dishonest comparison and has no basis in reality. This is the non-political version of EnLIGhteNEd centrism.
    - thefz 3y ago
      Still, making billions with your data and a failed promise of privacy. https://proton.me/blog/apple-ad-company https://proton.me/blog/apple-ad-company They are no better than anyone else, they just convinced you so.
      - kaba0 3y ago
        They make more money with much much more primitive “targeting” because they are sitting on top their own platform with no competition. If someone wants to display their ad on the Apple platform, they pay apple. I don’t mind being targeted by searching for “mobile game” in the app store and it displays a mobile game ad, and maybe even used up that I’m a male in his 20s. That just can’t be compared in good faith to what google or facebook does.
mpol 3y ago
Can anyone explain how this works in modern Android? Do the drivers for this specific hardware live in Treble? Can they "just" drop a new kernel in a point release, like linux 6.5 vanilla? Or linux 8.5 vanilla in the year 2030? I am not an Android user, but do have some interest in following what is happening. I do have interest in mobile Linux, currently I am using Sailfish OS with libhybris drivers and an old kernel.
- izacus 3y ago
  No, the kernel doesn't get updated (usually). Security patches get back ported and Android releases can run on multiple kernel versions.
baq 3y ago
Should’ve thought about it before I put my whole family on iPhones for this exact reason. My kids run iPhone 8 without any issues.
amir734jj 3y ago
I am looking to upgrade my old Pixel 3 XL. I use my phone with I love Google cameras and pure android software. I don't like Samsung UIs. I am wondering what a good option for me beside Google is phones.
- gman83 3y ago
  Sony, Asus, Nothing & Motorola all pretty much run stock Android.
  - roneythomas6 3y ago
    Sony phones are really bad with updates. They have very short 2 year update and the updates are extremely buggy almost making the phone a brick. Look at Xperia 5 iv android 13 same with Xperia 5 iii. Nothing is good with updates, Motorola updates are stable but still have short update cycle and security updates are not monthly for most phones.
- Moldoteck 3y ago
  you can install another launcher on samsung and get pixel-like xp without compromising on hardware. Zenfone is a bit worse for hard, better for software, but much worse for update support. Fairfone is too chunky but 8y of OS updates
gman83 3y ago
I've been using the Pixel 4a since it came out and it's been rock solid. I'll probably go for the Pixel 8 Pro because of the telephoto camera, so very happy it'll be supported longer. Could Google mandate longer updates from OEMs in general? Or is that not feasible?
- izacus 3y ago
  OEMs have significantly prolonged their update cycles too - both Samsung and Xiaomi are now promising 5 year support for their top models.
  - nomel 3y ago
    > OEMs That's OEM, singular, for many markets, including the US, where Xiaomi isn't sold.
    - fomine3 3y ago
      US is the exceptional market that not welcoming Chinese devices. Xiaomi is sold on other developed/developing countries.
    - izacus 3y ago
      The fact that you let carriers destroy free market in US kinda isn't an issue with Android.
      - nomel 3y ago
        I don't understand. I can get an iPhone on any carrier, and get long term updates. What does this have to do with carriers? (genuine question)
- wffurr 3y ago
  Pixel 4a was a very good phone but also sadly not waterproof. I am bummed that all the newer Pixels are bigger.
kvetching 3y ago
When will we get our own local LLM?
b8 3y ago
[flagged]
akyuu 3y ago
I'm curious about how they're going to manage this at the same time Linux LTS kernels are returning to being supported for 2 years rather than 6: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37591050 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37591050
- CameronNemo 3y ago
  The Fairphone is aiming to upstream their new phone's drivers. Chromebooks typically run a much closer to mainline kernel than Android devices. https://liliputing.com/fairphone-5-is-a-repairable-e699-smartphone-with-8-years-of-software-updates/ https://liliputing.com/fairphone-5-is-a-repairable-e699-smar... https://lore.kernel.org/linux-pm/20230830-fp5-initial-v1-0-5a954519bbad@fairphone.com/ https://lore.kernel.org/linux-pm/20230830-fp5-initial-v1-0-5...
- roneythomas6 3y ago
  Android common kernels(ACK) are downstream of Linux kernels with so many patches which are not there in the Linux kernels. So Linux having short 2 years update cycle doesn't have much implication on ACK.
  - CameronNemo 3y ago
    That's a disappointing answer if it is really the case. One has to question why they can't forward port their changes for a handful of years.
    - charcircuit 3y ago
      They have been been upstreaming patches to the kernel. In fact Android works with a stock Linux kernel now.
      - NewJazz 3y ago
        For the nonexistent Pixel 8? Or are you referring to running on a Pixel 6a, for example: https://wiki.postmarketos.org/wiki/Google_Pixel_6a_(google-bluejay) https://wiki.postmarketos.org/wiki/Google_Pixel_6a_(google-b... This device is marked as not booting.
pshirshov 3y ago
Batteries don't live that long.
- edgineer 3y ago
  I replaced my Pixel XL battery earlier this year, still works great as a backup and/or hacker news browsing device.
- izzydata 3y ago
  All the more reason for user replaceable batteries.
- pulpfictional 3y ago
  They're not very difficult to replace.
  - brewdad 3y ago
    Grandma isn't replacing her phone battery anytime soon. It wasn't that long ago, replacing a phone battery was as easy as replacing the batteries in my tv remote. Even grandma could do that.
    - Moldoteck 3y ago
      U can buy her a fairfone :D It's battery can be swapped like in old times
    - pulpfictional 3y ago
      It wasn't so long ago there were local repairmen grandmas took things go fix.
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
wackycat 3y ago
The cynical part of me wonders if that point is still under debate internally at google and if one of the goals of the leak was publicizing it so Google can't backtrack internally.
rhuru 3y ago
I think a meaningful "sustainability" goal could be to build devices that can last longer and be used longer without the need to buy the "latest" gadget. Building robust software and hardware should be part of that thinking. On a side note a younger kid in family used this unix tool called "sed" and asked me if such advanced tools existed during "my time". I told her I was not born even after 10 years had passed since its invention.
- Pingk 3y ago
  Absolutely! It's barely touched on in the article, but it's the first "R" in reduce, reuse, recycle. By reducing our need to consume because we want updates or need security patches, we don't need to buy a phone every couple of years. Together with the EU's replaceable battery law, this is a good step in that direction. Unfortunately it pushes against planned obsolescence which makes companies more money, so we'll see how long the promise of updates lasts...
- 2OEH8eoCRo0 3y ago
  I wish they wouldn't even put out new devices every year, put out your best stuff every two years. Longer development cycle.
  - prartichoke 3y ago
    Unfortunately a lot of people keep buying them yearly
pluc 3y ago
Anyone needs reminding that you can't trust what Google promises especially when it comes to their products?
- cowmix 3y ago
  Long time Google/Pixel fan... because I love pain and broken promises.
- jeroenhd 3y ago
  Do you have an overview of what Pixel devices didn't get their promised security updates? I've gone as far back as the original Google Pixel and they seem to have stuck to their update policy in for that device (https://web.archive.org/web/20161122015826/https://support.google.com/nexus/answer/4457705 https://web.archive.org/web/20161122015826/https://support.g...): Pixel phones get security patches for at least 3 years from when the device first became available, or at least 18 months from when the Google Store last sold the device, whichever is longer. I'm sure Pixel customers who didn't read up on the software support duration were disappointed that they only got three years of updates, but Google seems to have kept their promises with Android at the very least. IoT crap is a different story, though. Then again, I don't think there's a single IoT vendor that I trust to provide security updates for a normal amount of time.
jacooper 3y ago
Honestly, pixels are the phones to get. With grapheneOS, you get a dailyable, trustable phone, with crazy good cameras and long support cycles. And it's usually cheap, they drop fast in price, but the 8 is really expensive for some reason, lets hope it follows the same trend and just drops in price. Something no other phones can't do, certianly not your blackbox iphone(even if apples marketing says otherwise.)
- raun1 3y ago
  I generally agree though barely stayed with Pixel+GOS after my last Pixel refused to turn on after plugging it in before a nap, leaving me with a totally bricked phone, no way of recovering local data on the device, and a $100 bill to replace it since the screen was cracked - despite it being dead because of manufacturer defects, and a broken screen having no bearing on it's death. If I wasn't such a fan of GrapheneOS, I would have ditched Pixel so fast.
  - jacooper 3y ago
    I agree to a an existent, if you live in a supported country, you can find pixels for much cheaper with flagship features you wont find in anything in a similar price.
- jacooper 3y ago
  Can*
2OEH8eoCRo0 3y ago
Could this be tentative due to discontinuation of LTS kernels?
shmde 3y ago
[flagged]
unethical_ban 3y ago
I am not a big fan of stock android but I'm looking to switch to a pixel next phone in order to use GrapheneOS. Their hardware isn't bad, IMO. My nexus 5x did have the storage slow ess problem, though.
Dig1t 3y ago
All of my Pixel devices have had the battery explode well before the 7 year mark. I have worked as an Android developer for many years and have had 10+ Pixel devices with swollen batteries. This is nice on paper but I honestly don't think the hardware will last this long.
- flangola7 3y ago
  You've had 10 devices develop bloated batteries? There has to be an environmental factor. Note 7 devices failed less consistently than that and they were eradicated from the market.
- nani8ot 3y ago
  It's possible to replace batteries. They are the only real wear part in a phone, so there's no reason a phone wouldn't work for many years if they're replaced every 2-3 years.
- MaxikCZ 3y ago
  My Nexus phone was the only one that had ever developed a swollen battery in my lifetime.
m3kw9 3y ago
Major OS version updates or just security updates near the end of life?
- brewdad 3y ago
  Honestly, I'd be happy with only security patches. The lack of them after 12-18 months (I don't buy my phones on release day, usually about 6 months after) is what drove me away from Android. I'm on year 3 with my iPhone and don't see myself going back unless Apple really drops the ball or turns evil.
sharts 3y ago
I would take any promise by any tech giant with a massive cube of salt, a glass of bleach, and about a gallon of fentanyl.
iainmerrick 3y ago
It would be more impressive (and build trust a lot more) to unilaterally extend the support period of existing devices.
awinter-py 3y ago
our solemn vow to continue degrading the performance of the swipe keyboard for nearly a decade is unmatched in the industry
ClassyJacket 3y ago
Are Google's promises worth the paper they're written on? Call me when they actually provide the 7th year of updates.
bigstrat2003 3y ago
Doesn't matter. No headphone jack = no sale. I'm not about to carry around a dongle to be able to listen to music off my phone.
- Shekelphile 3y ago
  Lets be real here, you probably cannot afford a new phone if you have to cheap out with wired headphones/earbuds on a mobile device in 2023.
  - Dylan16807 3y ago
    > cheap out with wired That is not correct. Please do not say that.
    - Shekelphile 3y ago
      It is if you care about ANC and convenience of use. At home wired is obviously king :)
      - Dylan16807 3y ago
        Noise cancelling isn't incompatible with wires... And both wired and wireless have their own convenience problems. But the wireless ones are more frustrating in my experience.
        okdood64 3y ago
        What's inconvenient about wireless ones with ANC versus wired ones with ANC?
        Dylan16807 3y ago
        Pairing problems, occasional dropouts, and the biggest one, delay.
mruniverse 3y ago
It feels Google phones are very nice prototype projects from a darling business unit. Used to show off cool software for trade shows.
- Shekelphile 3y ago
  > darling business unit It's HTC. Google poached thousands of employees from HTC and it shows in the subpar build and component quality.
e63f67dd-065b 3y ago
I'm pleasantly surprised -- this makes pixels much more easy to recommend to relatives. Still not the top choice over iphones, as those are just much easier to maintain as the designated family tech support guy, but at least it's not completely out of the picture.
codalan 3y ago
I was a total convert to the Pixel 7 Pro until two weeks ago (check my comment history). Now my phone goes black when the slightest amount of pressure is applied to the center of the screen. Spent over an hour in support hell (and 6-8 hours of backups/migrating to a spare phone/etc) to be told to go to an Asurion center to get my phone fixed. Had a lot of hope and goodwill lost on this phone. I feel like I paid a premium price (over $1100) only to get shoddy service and a shoddy product that will fail just outside the warranty period. As much as I dislike the iPhone, at least I can walk into an Apple store and get support right away, and not the Google runaround.
- ThePowerOfFuet 3y ago
  iFixit sells genuine replacement parts for all Pixels, including displays. You can fix it yourself if you want.
- addandsubtract 3y ago
  I've had part of the touchscreen die on my Pixel 3a. A 1cm wide, vertical strip down the phone just wasn't recognizing any touches anymore. I contacted support, showed them the problem, and they had me reset and send it in. Got a replacement phone without a problem. Maybe EU support / warranty is better than in the US?
- ecmascript 3y ago
  > at least I can walk into an Apple store and get support right away I understand the value of being able to speak to someone but Apple support has again and again shown that they overcharge, tell customers x needs to be changed when it doesn't have to etc. Sure, you maybe can get help but the help will charge you close to a new device while they do everything in their power to reduce your ability to turn the device in to a third party repair shop. The obvious choice here is to give third party repair shops more power so everyone, everywhere, can get help getting their phones/devices fixed no matter what brand it is.
alphanullmeric 3y ago
Having switched to an iPhone, the thing that I realize now bothers me the most about android phones is the battery life. So many things about iOS frustrate me but the battery life alone makes up for all of that. I don’t understand why Qualcomm and Samsung feel the need to have 8 cores of 3 different types when Apple’s formula works so well.
de6u99er 3y ago
I think Pixel 6 owners are in a good spot. We can wait one more year until production kinks have been ironed out, get a Pixel 8 at a reduced price, and get 6 years of updates out if it. Until next year, Google and other phone makers might be forced by the EU to implement easy to replace batteries.
turbobooster 3y ago
[dead]
Derbasti 3y ago
I mean, this was mandated by the EU recently, right? So we should expect ALL manufacturers switch to this soon.
eternityforest 3y ago
The 8 looks seriously amazing. I'm almost tempted to try to wait another year till the next generation (Hopefully with swappable batteries and UWB in the base model), but the battery on my current phone is a bit worn.
abriosi 3y ago
Well, no pixel 8 for me. Pixel 7a will be my last pixel phone. I thought pixel 7a would be a nice upgrade from my pixel 4a. Three months later, the battery barely lasts a a day, and the microphone stopped working clearly due to a software bug, ie, it works on calls and videos, but not on applications. While making voice calls on a Bluetooth system, the connection randomly drops, and when it connects back, the microphone doesn't work, only speaker. Very poor product for the price. The wireless charging charges 1% per hour. There are probably more issues I can't remember right now
- saiya-jin 3y ago
  > The wireless charging charges 1% per hour Hmm, Iphone 14 pro max takes 2h15 to charge on the cable, so roughly 2x as much, even longer wirelessly. The other points may be a fair critique but this one isn't. My Galaxy 22 ultra takes also around 1% per hour wired, I don't see any issue there, this is what non-chinese flagships deliver now/last year.
  - rsynnott 3y ago
    Eh? If a phone takes an hour to charge 1%, that means charging it fully requires a little over four days.
- dpatterbee 3y ago
  Okay you've run into problems but it's probably worth noting that this is not typical. Most people rave about the "a" line of pixel phones and they definitely last longer than 3 months before completely malfunctioning like yours is. I'm not sure how easy it is to repair but I'd be shocked if you're not still within your warranty period and you couldn't get a replacement for your clearly defective device.
- timothyb89 3y ago
  For what it’s worth, the Pixel 7 series (and maybe 6) has compatibility issues with some wireless chargers. It’s actually quite quick if you find one that plays nice: I measure 12-15 watts, so not much slower than wired. Incompatible chargers pull 3 watts or less, disconnect frequently, and often don’t even offset the phone’s regular drain. I had to try a few to find one that works properly in my car. I’ve had good luck with chargers from Anker and Peak Design, and bad luck with Apple, JSAUX, and Spigen branded chargers. Google’s own chargers presumably work fine as well. (Also, a lot of Qi chargers are extremely picky about the USB-PD or QC specs of the power adapter you use. I highly recommend using a USB power/voltage monitor to make sure they negotiate PD or QC power at 9/12v rather than the base 5v/1a. Without that, you’ll be charging at an absolute maximum of 5 watts before Qi losses.)
jonathantf2 3y ago
How can you trust that Google will still be making Pixel phones in 7 years?
PicassoCTs 3y ago
Thats almost 1.999 stadia lengths of lifetimes support.
anhner 3y ago
It'll take a lot more than that to get me to buy a Pixel phone (or any other Android, really). 1. Google needs to build up the reputation that they support phones for 7 years, currently there is no device from them that was ever supported that long. 2. Pixels are not officially sold in my country, even though I am from the European Union. I need to buy from a 3rd party with at least 50% markup and dubious support. 3. Even if I were to buy a Pixel phone, 50% of the differentiating features are not available in my country (or barely any country outside of the US) - like call screening, hold for me, book me a reservation (I forgot the name of this feature).
snvzz 3y ago
Still based on legacy ISA (proprietary ARM instead of open standard RISC-V), and still lacking the EU-mandated swapable battery. Perhaps the next one. Patience.
rldjbpin 3y ago
regardless of whether this is true, buying a pixel usually meant having a good custom rom ecosystem. unsure how much that is true after the switch to their custom soc. but the most demanding users (us enthusiasts) also tend to be savvy with this sort of things. since everyone's listing their requirements, i'd like dp over usb-c in the new one before i consider getting one.
fyloraspit 3y ago
I'll probably just stick with my 5.
amq 3y ago
I'm writing this on a pixel right now and I wish success to pixel, but I would bet that google won't provide 7 years of major android updates. It will be 4-5 years tops, and then they will just notify people about discontinuing it like with pixel pass.
- dacryn 3y ago
  3 years of major android updates and then only security updates are totally acceptable for me, as long as they are clear upfront about that
antirez 3y ago
Had the Nexus 4, Pixel 2XL, Pixel 3, Pixel 6, now I own a Pixel 7, and I'll never buy one again. It's a 90% done product. Software instability all around. Battery always round, bugs with dictation. Enough is enough.

174 points by nickthegreek 3y ago

Has even a single Android phone received a major or minor kernel update ever (ex: 5.4 -> 5.10)? That felt like what Treble & creating an entirely Android specific way of building kernel modules (the GKI, "Generic Kernel Image", specifically for Android) was for. Instead of having to upstream modules or support them against an ever-moving kernel interface, the kernel could move & drivers would have a special Android specific interface to code against that would be stable. That was the plan, yes? But I'm not sure this has ever actually happened or gotten used yet? Android wrote it's own wrapper for the kernel, but is it even having the upside it was built for? Recent thread on a 2021 post on Android kernel dev: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37612699 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37612699

cypress66 3y ago
I assume you mean major version? Because the kernel gets updated all the time otherwise.
red_trumpet 3y ago
My Nokia 6.2 got updates from Android 9 to Android 10 and Android 11.
- bkallus 3y ago
  Android updates often do not come with kernel updates. Major kernel updates are difficult because of the tangle of proprietary modules in most Android kernels. To partially answer GP's question: Unofficial major kernel updates have happened in the past. OnePlus 6T, for example, shipped with 4.9.x, but supports mainline on pmOS.
  - jauntywundrkind 3y ago
    I own a Linux running OnePlus 6T. :) Still not sure if any Android upgrade has ever had a major or minor kernel upgrade.

deleted 3y ago

[deleted]

parheric 3y ago

Yeh I doubt this will ever happen in a way that provides real value for pixel owners… when they started using their own chips it was meant to be 5 years, then turned out to be 3 years of updates. They’ve had the opportunity for I provide security updates for their old pixels for years but chose not too. So this is just marketing fluff to get a few more sales… And in typical Google style after 3 years they’ll say “yeh… about those 7 years, we really meant 3” Pixel pass anyone?

kyrra 3y ago
Any source for pixel phones that were promised 5 years, only getting three?
- Borgz 3y ago
  I think they are referring to the Pixel 6 [1]. If the same happened again, Google might announce that the Pixel 8 will receive 4 or 5 years of major Android version updates and 7 years of security updates. However, the alleged leaked specs for the Pixel 8 explicitly state "7 years of OS and security updates" [2], so I think they do actually intend on 7 years of major Android version updates. [1] https://www.theverge.com/2021/10/19/22735485/google-pixel-6-three-years-android-updates-security-feature https://www.theverge.com/2021/10/19/22735485/google-pixel-6-... [2] https://www.91mobiles.com/hub/google-pixel-8-pro-specifications-revealed/ https://www.91mobiles.com/hub/google-pixel-8-pro-specificati...
  - msm_ 3y ago
    As an owner of an Android phone (Pixel 4a) that just reached EOL and for which a potential 0-click RCE 0day was just released (the webp thing), I'd take three more years of security updates on the spot. But well, I guess time for a new phone.
    - yjftsjthsd-h 3y ago
      Installing LineageOS is cheaper then a new phone.

htatche 3y ago

Knowing how Google shortlives their products time after time, I'll pass, thanks.

least 3y ago

I owned the original Nexus 5 phone and Nexus 7 tablet. I love both of these devices for their design but both had serious issues. The Nexus 7's storage degraded, which rendered the device unusably slow. I thought it was the upgrade to the next version of Android that did it, but downgrading it did not fix the issue. There's been some workarounds that made it slightly more usable but ultimately it was a serious hardware defect that made it unbearably slow to use even with these workarounds. The Nexus 5 had a bootlooping issue — I had the issue occur on my first Nexus 5, 2 weeks out of warranty. Fortunately Google was kind enough to send me a refurbished one... that shortly after had the same bootloop issue. My opinion of Google has gradually deteriorated over time to the point now where I actively avoid using anything made by Google because 1) they can't do hardware right and 2) they sunset way too many products for me to feel comfortable using them. So the promise of 7 years of OS updates on a hardware device by Google just seems empty and maybe pointless because I don't trust the device itself will continue functioning, even if the updates keep coming... which I have doubts they will. While I was still using Android, my Samsung Galaxy S6 was probably the most headache-free experience I had, even with the complete lack of feature/OS updates but as it stands, my iPhones have all been rock solid devices, so that is probably what I will continue using unless something drastic changes.

matwood 3y ago
Same. I had both those devices and at the time of purchase they were a great value contrast to the iPhone/iPad. But, after the issues you describe I went back to iPhones and never looked back. Google had a great opportunity that they squandered.
doublepg23 3y ago
Yeah I feel like Samsung has a very good value proposition in 2023. I guess my biggest thing is it requires you to remove all the bloat and adware as a prerequisite.
IntelMiner 3y ago
I have to admit, I'm on the opposite end of the spectrum there, having had both devices I loved my 2012 Nexus 7, and was a Day 1 upgrader to the 2013 model (my Mom enjoyed the 2012 for many years for eBooks and Facebook) My Nexus 5 I was also a day 1 purchase, upgrading from a slowly deteriorating Galaxy S2. Unfortunately I had to replace it much earlier after I slipped and fell on uneven concrete and shattered the screen If Google could just take the SoC of the Pixel 6/7/8/whatever and stuff it in the housing of the Nexus 7 2013, give it a modern battery and a nice OLED screen it would truly be the best tablet on the market. But instead they want "bigger" and are chasing after the iPad with the new pixel tablet

impish19 3y ago

This has barely ever tipped the needle for me when deciding to buy a phone. I switched to a Pixel a couple of years ago for two main features: Call Screening - https://support.google.com/phoneapp/answer/9118387?hl=en https://support.google.com/phoneapp/answer/9118387?hl=en Hold for me - https://support.google.com/assistant/answer/10071878?hl=en https://support.google.com/assistant/answer/10071878?hl=en They're immensely valuable and I feel Apple is absolutely dumb for having equivalents baked in already. If they did, I'd happily switch over.

BugsJustFindMe 3y ago
iOS 17 has added real time voicemail transcription in a way that sounds a lot like Android's call screening.
- izacus 3y ago
  It's absolutely not the same feature.
slipperlobster 3y ago
Call Screening is in iOS17. I agree that Hold for me would be great on iOS.
Kirby64 3y ago
iOS now supports live voicemails. Functionally equivalent to call screening, except a slightly different prompt. The nice thing is this is on everything that runs ios17, instead of just the latest. Android seems to unnecessarily silo special features into just pixel phones for no apparent hardware reason. Often times you can sideload (with root access typically) the special pixel only features on any phone. Nothing yet to compare to hold for me, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was coming soon.
- gruez 3y ago
  > iOS now supports live voicemails. Functionally equivalent to call screening, except a slightly different prompt. Not really. For one, the caller knows that there's someone on the other end reading it live, as opposed to live voicemail where you don't know whether your message will be seen immediately or whenever the other person decides to check their voicemails. Also call screening allows you to prompt follow up questions which you can't do with live voicemail.

geodel 3y ago

[flagged]

supernova87a 3y ago

The problem isn't so much that Google has a hard time old phones on their OS maintenance team books, and even just phoning in the effort to keep them working (hah). It's that they actively don't want to do any work that isn't sexy and supporting new products. I don't think their teams are incentivized to do so. Let me play it out with an example. At Apple, a team/individual might be actively told to have to use an iPhone 8 for their daily use, so they get to experience what it's like for a user with an older phone. They solve the users' pain by solving their own pain, and commit to making the experience actually better with future iOS releases. Not just keeping it working but actually making it better if possible. Google has shown time and time again that they're not thinking like that. Or at least not setting up the company to be rewarded like that. I will also posit that the single-handed ownership of the iOS app store makes deficiencies fall squarely on Apple, so they are more directly blamed/responsible when phone performance gets worse. With Android, and so many reasons a team could claim that other factors are causing negative trends in performance, who cares to keep making an old phone better?

thedougd 3y ago
I agree with the theme of your post, but I think it's often overlooked that Android doesn't necessitate full operating system updates to deliver new functionality as iOS does. Owners will regularly receive updates to basic apps such as phone, calendar, contacts, etc. through the on-going Play Store updates, even after 3 years.
- BoorishBears 3y ago
  This often gets brought up, but it's only because of a similar ill-discipline to what the comment you replied to is talking about. AOSP has basic apps for all of those use cases, but presumably because it's much sexier to work on closed source in-house apps that get to be updated as often as the team feels like instead of being forced to work in the margins of the OS update schedule... they languished to the point of unusability. I'm not even sure if they'd all run on the latest version of Android, some of them are still using Kit-Kat era UIs last I checked

thatoneguy 3y ago

It's still a device wedded to an OS that wants your data shipped off to a company that knows how to use it against you vs a device iOS put out by a company that seems so wildly inept in this space that they just went whole-hog on privacy, at least publicly.

thefz 3y ago
> It's still a device wedded to an OS that wants your data shipped off to a company that knows how to use it against you vs a device iOS put out by a company that seems so wildly inept in this space that they just went whole-hog on privacy, at least publicly. Apple still sells your user data to advertisers, they just want to be the only one to do so, for profit.
- kaba0 3y ago
  Apple displays a goddamn relevant result in the AppStore, while Google actively makes use of every single movement you make — it is just a completely dishonest comparison and has no basis in reality. This is the non-political version of EnLIGhteNEd centrism.
  - thefz 3y ago
    Still, making billions with your data and a failed promise of privacy. https://proton.me/blog/apple-ad-company https://proton.me/blog/apple-ad-company They are no better than anyone else, they just convinced you so.
    - kaba0 3y ago
      They make more money with much much more primitive “targeting” because they are sitting on top their own platform with no competition. If someone wants to display their ad on the Apple platform, they pay apple. I don’t mind being targeted by searching for “mobile game” in the app store and it displays a mobile game ad, and maybe even used up that I’m a male in his 20s. That just can’t be compared in good faith to what google or facebook does.

mpol 3y ago

Can anyone explain how this works in modern Android? Do the drivers for this specific hardware live in Treble? Can they "just" drop a new kernel in a point release, like linux 6.5 vanilla? Or linux 8.5 vanilla in the year 2030? I am not an Android user, but do have some interest in following what is happening. I do have interest in mobile Linux, currently I am using Sailfish OS with libhybris drivers and an old kernel.

izacus 3y ago
No, the kernel doesn't get updated (usually). Security patches get back ported and Android releases can run on multiple kernel versions.

baq 3y ago

Should’ve thought about it before I put my whole family on iPhones for this exact reason. My kids run iPhone 8 without any issues.

amir734jj 3y ago

I am looking to upgrade my old Pixel 3 XL. I use my phone with I love Google cameras and pure android software. I don't like Samsung UIs. I am wondering what a good option for me beside Google is phones.

gman83 3y ago
Sony, Asus, Nothing & Motorola all pretty much run stock Android.
- roneythomas6 3y ago
  Sony phones are really bad with updates. They have very short 2 year update and the updates are extremely buggy almost making the phone a brick. Look at Xperia 5 iv android 13 same with Xperia 5 iii. Nothing is good with updates, Motorola updates are stable but still have short update cycle and security updates are not monthly for most phones.
Moldoteck 3y ago
you can install another launcher on samsung and get pixel-like xp without compromising on hardware. Zenfone is a bit worse for hard, better for software, but much worse for update support. Fairfone is too chunky but 8y of OS updates

gman83 3y ago

I've been using the Pixel 4a since it came out and it's been rock solid. I'll probably go for the Pixel 8 Pro because of the telephoto camera, so very happy it'll be supported longer. Could Google mandate longer updates from OEMs in general? Or is that not feasible?

izacus 3y ago
OEMs have significantly prolonged their update cycles too - both Samsung and Xiaomi are now promising 5 year support for their top models.
- nomel 3y ago
  > OEMs That's OEM, singular, for many markets, including the US, where Xiaomi isn't sold.
  - fomine3 3y ago
    US is the exceptional market that not welcoming Chinese devices. Xiaomi is sold on other developed/developing countries.
  - izacus 3y ago
    The fact that you let carriers destroy free market in US kinda isn't an issue with Android.
    - nomel 3y ago
      I don't understand. I can get an iPhone on any carrier, and get long term updates. What does this have to do with carriers? (genuine question)
wffurr 3y ago
Pixel 4a was a very good phone but also sadly not waterproof. I am bummed that all the newer Pixels are bigger.

kvetching 3y ago

When will we get our own local LLM?

b8 3y ago

[flagged]

akyuu 3y ago

I'm curious about how they're going to manage this at the same time Linux LTS kernels are returning to being supported for 2 years rather than 6: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37591050 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37591050

CameronNemo 3y ago
The Fairphone is aiming to upstream their new phone's drivers. Chromebooks typically run a much closer to mainline kernel than Android devices. https://liliputing.com/fairphone-5-is-a-repairable-e699-smartphone-with-8-years-of-software-updates/ https://liliputing.com/fairphone-5-is-a-repairable-e699-smar... https://lore.kernel.org/linux-pm/20230830-fp5-initial-v1-0-5a954519bbad@fairphone.com/ https://lore.kernel.org/linux-pm/20230830-fp5-initial-v1-0-5...
roneythomas6 3y ago
Android common kernels(ACK) are downstream of Linux kernels with so many patches which are not there in the Linux kernels. So Linux having short 2 years update cycle doesn't have much implication on ACK.
- CameronNemo 3y ago
  That's a disappointing answer if it is really the case. One has to question why they can't forward port their changes for a handful of years.
  - charcircuit 3y ago
    They have been been upstreaming patches to the kernel. In fact Android works with a stock Linux kernel now.
    - NewJazz 3y ago
      For the nonexistent Pixel 8? Or are you referring to running on a Pixel 6a, for example: https://wiki.postmarketos.org/wiki/Google_Pixel_6a_(google-bluejay) https://wiki.postmarketos.org/wiki/Google_Pixel_6a_(google-b... This device is marked as not booting.

pshirshov 3y ago

Batteries don't live that long.

edgineer 3y ago
I replaced my Pixel XL battery earlier this year, still works great as a backup and/or hacker news browsing device.
izzydata 3y ago
All the more reason for user replaceable batteries.
pulpfictional 3y ago
They're not very difficult to replace.
- brewdad 3y ago
  Grandma isn't replacing her phone battery anytime soon. It wasn't that long ago, replacing a phone battery was as easy as replacing the batteries in my tv remote. Even grandma could do that.
  - Moldoteck 3y ago
    U can buy her a fairfone :D It's battery can be swapped like in old times
  - pulpfictional 3y ago
    It wasn't so long ago there were local repairmen grandmas took things go fix.

deleted 3y ago

[deleted]

wackycat 3y ago

The cynical part of me wonders if that point is still under debate internally at google and if one of the goals of the leak was publicizing it so Google can't backtrack internally.

rhuru 3y ago

I think a meaningful "sustainability" goal could be to build devices that can last longer and be used longer without the need to buy the "latest" gadget. Building robust software and hardware should be part of that thinking. On a side note a younger kid in family used this unix tool called "sed" and asked me if such advanced tools existed during "my time". I told her I was not born even after 10 years had passed since its invention.

Pingk 3y ago
Absolutely! It's barely touched on in the article, but it's the first "R" in reduce, reuse, recycle. By reducing our need to consume because we want updates or need security patches, we don't need to buy a phone every couple of years. Together with the EU's replaceable battery law, this is a good step in that direction. Unfortunately it pushes against planned obsolescence which makes companies more money, so we'll see how long the promise of updates lasts...
2OEH8eoCRo0 3y ago
I wish they wouldn't even put out new devices every year, put out your best stuff every two years. Longer development cycle.
- prartichoke 3y ago
  Unfortunately a lot of people keep buying them yearly

pluc 3y ago

Anyone needs reminding that you can't trust what Google promises especially when it comes to their products?

cowmix 3y ago
Long time Google/Pixel fan... because I love pain and broken promises.
jeroenhd 3y ago
Do you have an overview of what Pixel devices didn't get their promised security updates? I've gone as far back as the original Google Pixel and they seem to have stuck to their update policy in for that device (https://web.archive.org/web/20161122015826/https://support.google.com/nexus/answer/4457705 https://web.archive.org/web/20161122015826/https://support.g...): Pixel phones get security patches for at least 3 years from when the device first became available, or at least 18 months from when the Google Store last sold the device, whichever is longer. I'm sure Pixel customers who didn't read up on the software support duration were disappointed that they only got three years of updates, but Google seems to have kept their promises with Android at the very least. IoT crap is a different story, though. Then again, I don't think there's a single IoT vendor that I trust to provide security updates for a normal amount of time.

jacooper 3y ago

Honestly, pixels are the phones to get. With grapheneOS, you get a dailyable, trustable phone, with crazy good cameras and long support cycles. And it's usually cheap, they drop fast in price, but the 8 is really expensive for some reason, lets hope it follows the same trend and just drops in price. Something no other phones can't do, certianly not your blackbox iphone(even if apples marketing says otherwise.)

raun1 3y ago
I generally agree though barely stayed with Pixel+GOS after my last Pixel refused to turn on after plugging it in before a nap, leaving me with a totally bricked phone, no way of recovering local data on the device, and a $100 bill to replace it since the screen was cracked - despite it being dead because of manufacturer defects, and a broken screen having no bearing on it's death. If I wasn't such a fan of GrapheneOS, I would have ditched Pixel so fast.
- jacooper 3y ago
  I agree to a an existent, if you live in a supported country, you can find pixels for much cheaper with flagship features you wont find in anything in a similar price.
jacooper 3y ago
Can*

2OEH8eoCRo0 3y ago

Could this be tentative due to discontinuation of LTS kernels?

shmde 3y ago

[flagged]

unethical_ban 3y ago

I am not a big fan of stock android but I'm looking to switch to a pixel next phone in order to use GrapheneOS. Their hardware isn't bad, IMO. My nexus 5x did have the storage slow ess problem, though.

Dig1t 3y ago

All of my Pixel devices have had the battery explode well before the 7 year mark. I have worked as an Android developer for many years and have had 10+ Pixel devices with swollen batteries. This is nice on paper but I honestly don't think the hardware will last this long.

flangola7 3y ago
You've had 10 devices develop bloated batteries? There has to be an environmental factor. Note 7 devices failed less consistently than that and they were eradicated from the market.
nani8ot 3y ago
It's possible to replace batteries. They are the only real wear part in a phone, so there's no reason a phone wouldn't work for many years if they're replaced every 2-3 years.
MaxikCZ 3y ago
My Nexus phone was the only one that had ever developed a swollen battery in my lifetime.

m3kw9 3y ago

Major OS version updates or just security updates near the end of life?

brewdad 3y ago
Honestly, I'd be happy with only security patches. The lack of them after 12-18 months (I don't buy my phones on release day, usually about 6 months after) is what drove me away from Android. I'm on year 3 with my iPhone and don't see myself going back unless Apple really drops the ball or turns evil.

sharts 3y ago

I would take any promise by any tech giant with a massive cube of salt, a glass of bleach, and about a gallon of fentanyl.

iainmerrick 3y ago

It would be more impressive (and build trust a lot more) to unilaterally extend the support period of existing devices.

awinter-py 3y ago

our solemn vow to continue degrading the performance of the swipe keyboard for nearly a decade is unmatched in the industry

ClassyJacket 3y ago

Are Google's promises worth the paper they're written on? Call me when they actually provide the 7th year of updates.

bigstrat2003 3y ago

Doesn't matter. No headphone jack = no sale. I'm not about to carry around a dongle to be able to listen to music off my phone.

Shekelphile 3y ago
Lets be real here, you probably cannot afford a new phone if you have to cheap out with wired headphones/earbuds on a mobile device in 2023.
- Dylan16807 3y ago
  > cheap out with wired That is not correct. Please do not say that.
  - Shekelphile 3y ago
    It is if you care about ANC and convenience of use. At home wired is obviously king :)
    - Dylan16807 3y ago
      Noise cancelling isn't incompatible with wires... And both wired and wireless have their own convenience problems. But the wireless ones are more frustrating in my experience.
      - okdood64 3y ago
        What's inconvenient about wireless ones with ANC versus wired ones with ANC?
        Dylan16807 3y ago
        Pairing problems, occasional dropouts, and the biggest one, delay.

mruniverse 3y ago

It feels Google phones are very nice prototype projects from a darling business unit. Used to show off cool software for trade shows.

Shekelphile 3y ago
> darling business unit It's HTC. Google poached thousands of employees from HTC and it shows in the subpar build and component quality.

e63f67dd-065b 3y ago

I'm pleasantly surprised -- this makes pixels much more easy to recommend to relatives. Still not the top choice over iphones, as those are just much easier to maintain as the designated family tech support guy, but at least it's not completely out of the picture.

codalan 3y ago

I was a total convert to the Pixel 7 Pro until two weeks ago (check my comment history). Now my phone goes black when the slightest amount of pressure is applied to the center of the screen. Spent over an hour in support hell (and 6-8 hours of backups/migrating to a spare phone/etc) to be told to go to an Asurion center to get my phone fixed. Had a lot of hope and goodwill lost on this phone. I feel like I paid a premium price (over $1100) only to get shoddy service and a shoddy product that will fail just outside the warranty period. As much as I dislike the iPhone, at least I can walk into an Apple store and get support right away, and not the Google runaround.

ThePowerOfFuet 3y ago
iFixit sells genuine replacement parts for all Pixels, including displays. You can fix it yourself if you want.
addandsubtract 3y ago
I've had part of the touchscreen die on my Pixel 3a. A 1cm wide, vertical strip down the phone just wasn't recognizing any touches anymore. I contacted support, showed them the problem, and they had me reset and send it in. Got a replacement phone without a problem. Maybe EU support / warranty is better than in the US?
ecmascript 3y ago
> at least I can walk into an Apple store and get support right away I understand the value of being able to speak to someone but Apple support has again and again shown that they overcharge, tell customers x needs to be changed when it doesn't have to etc. Sure, you maybe can get help but the help will charge you close to a new device while they do everything in their power to reduce your ability to turn the device in to a third party repair shop. The obvious choice here is to give third party repair shops more power so everyone, everywhere, can get help getting their phones/devices fixed no matter what brand it is.

alphanullmeric 3y ago

Having switched to an iPhone, the thing that I realize now bothers me the most about android phones is the battery life. So many things about iOS frustrate me but the battery life alone makes up for all of that. I don’t understand why Qualcomm and Samsung feel the need to have 8 cores of 3 different types when Apple’s formula works so well.

de6u99er 3y ago

I think Pixel 6 owners are in a good spot. We can wait one more year until production kinks have been ironed out, get a Pixel 8 at a reduced price, and get 6 years of updates out if it. Until next year, Google and other phone makers might be forced by the EU to implement easy to replace batteries.

turbobooster 3y ago

[dead]

Derbasti 3y ago

I mean, this was mandated by the EU recently, right? So we should expect ALL manufacturers switch to this soon.

eternityforest 3y ago

The 8 looks seriously amazing. I'm almost tempted to try to wait another year till the next generation (Hopefully with swappable batteries and UWB in the base model), but the battery on my current phone is a bit worn.

abriosi 3y ago

Well, no pixel 8 for me. Pixel 7a will be my last pixel phone. I thought pixel 7a would be a nice upgrade from my pixel 4a. Three months later, the battery barely lasts a a day, and the microphone stopped working clearly due to a software bug, ie, it works on calls and videos, but not on applications. While making voice calls on a Bluetooth system, the connection randomly drops, and when it connects back, the microphone doesn't work, only speaker. Very poor product for the price. The wireless charging charges 1% per hour. There are probably more issues I can't remember right now

saiya-jin 3y ago
> The wireless charging charges 1% per hour Hmm, Iphone 14 pro max takes 2h15 to charge on the cable, so roughly 2x as much, even longer wirelessly. The other points may be a fair critique but this one isn't. My Galaxy 22 ultra takes also around 1% per hour wired, I don't see any issue there, this is what non-chinese flagships deliver now/last year.
- rsynnott 3y ago
  Eh? If a phone takes an hour to charge 1%, that means charging it fully requires a little over four days.
dpatterbee 3y ago
Okay you've run into problems but it's probably worth noting that this is not typical. Most people rave about the "a" line of pixel phones and they definitely last longer than 3 months before completely malfunctioning like yours is. I'm not sure how easy it is to repair but I'd be shocked if you're not still within your warranty period and you couldn't get a replacement for your clearly defective device.
timothyb89 3y ago
For what it’s worth, the Pixel 7 series (and maybe 6) has compatibility issues with some wireless chargers. It’s actually quite quick if you find one that plays nice: I measure 12-15 watts, so not much slower than wired. Incompatible chargers pull 3 watts or less, disconnect frequently, and often don’t even offset the phone’s regular drain. I had to try a few to find one that works properly in my car. I’ve had good luck with chargers from Anker and Peak Design, and bad luck with Apple, JSAUX, and Spigen branded chargers. Google’s own chargers presumably work fine as well. (Also, a lot of Qi chargers are extremely picky about the USB-PD or QC specs of the power adapter you use. I highly recommend using a USB power/voltage monitor to make sure they negotiate PD or QC power at 9/12v rather than the base 5v/1a. Without that, you’ll be charging at an absolute maximum of 5 watts before Qi losses.)

jonathantf2 3y ago

How can you trust that Google will still be making Pixel phones in 7 years?

PicassoCTs 3y ago

Thats almost 1.999 stadia lengths of lifetimes support.

anhner 3y ago

It'll take a lot more than that to get me to buy a Pixel phone (or any other Android, really). 1. Google needs to build up the reputation that they support phones for 7 years, currently there is no device from them that was ever supported that long. 2. Pixels are not officially sold in my country, even though I am from the European Union. I need to buy from a 3rd party with at least 50% markup and dubious support. 3. Even if I were to buy a Pixel phone, 50% of the differentiating features are not available in my country (or barely any country outside of the US) - like call screening, hold for me, book me a reservation (I forgot the name of this feature).

snvzz 3y ago

Still based on legacy ISA (proprietary ARM instead of open standard RISC-V), and still lacking the EU-mandated swapable battery. Perhaps the next one. Patience.

rldjbpin 3y ago

regardless of whether this is true, buying a pixel usually meant having a good custom rom ecosystem. unsure how much that is true after the switch to their custom soc. but the most demanding users (us enthusiasts) also tend to be savvy with this sort of things. since everyone's listing their requirements, i'd like dp over usb-c in the new one before i consider getting one.

fyloraspit 3y ago

I'll probably just stick with my 5.

amq 3y ago

I'm writing this on a pixel right now and I wish success to pixel, but I would bet that google won't provide 7 years of major android updates. It will be 4-5 years tops, and then they will just notify people about discontinuing it like with pixel pass.

dacryn 3y ago
3 years of major android updates and then only security updates are totally acceptable for me, as long as they are clear upfront about that

antirez 3y ago

Had the Nexus 4, Pixel 2XL, Pixel 3, Pixel 6, now I own a Pixel 7, and I'll never buy one again. It's a 90% done product. Software instability all around. Battery always round, bugs with dictation. Enough is enough.