3 ms·

>I'm really glad to see both the partnership with iFixit and the 7 years of support. Damn, it may be time for me to move back to Android. Do Pixels require the

>I'm really glad to see both the partnership with iFixit and the 7 years of support. Damn, it may be time for me to move back to Android. Do Pixels require the updates to be sent by your carrier, or do they allow direct download?

dagmx 3y ago
Most of the time you can direct update, but I believe Verizon has a special carve out.
panarky 3y ago
Pixels get updates direct from Google, doesn't depend on your carrier.
- fullstop 3y ago
  This isn't entirely true. I have a Pixel 7 Pro and T-Mobile -- updates can be delayed by the carrier. https://9to5google.com/2023/01/12/google-pixel-t-mobile-update/ https://9to5google.com/2023/01/12/google-pixel-t-mobile-upda...
  - sphars 3y ago
    Did you purchase your phone from T-Mobile? I'm on T-Mobile but I always buy my Pixels direct from Google. All updates have come direct from Google, no T-Mobile involvement at all.
    - fullstop 3y ago
      In this particular case, yes, but the update can still be blocked by the carrier. People have been successful in updating the device by temporarily putting the SIM from another carrier in the phone. My daughter's Pixel 5a update, for example, was delayed but it was purchased from Google. To be clear, the update _does_ come directly from Google but the device won't show that the update is available until the carrier gives the green light. The factory image can still be sideloaded. The P7P is the first phone that I've not purchased outright, and that's because TMO was willing to give me a ridiculously generous offer to trade in a OnePlus 7t. edit: another link -- https://www.androidpolice.com/pixel-t-mobile-update-delayed/ https://www.androidpolice.com/pixel-t-mobile-update-delayed/
      - delfinom 3y ago
        > People have been successful in updating the device by temporarily putting the SIM from another carrier in the phone. You can also just update the phone using the OTA Google provides on a page and ADB to side load it. https://developers.google.com/android/ota#cheetah https://developers.google.com/android/ota#cheetah
        fullstop 3y ago
        Yes, this comment is being sent from an Android 14 device. The OTA image worked great.
  - Alupis 3y ago
    don't buy modern phones direct from carriers, unless the deal is too good to pass up. unlocked, carrier-agnostic phones are the way to go.
    - fullstop 3y ago
      I agree, that's how I ended up buying the P7P through TMO -- it was a ridiculously generous offer. With the Pixel updates, at least, the updates come through Google but the carrier (at least TMO) can prevent this from happening even if the phone is unrestricted.
kelnos 3y ago
While the downloads do come directly from Google, they work with the carriers, who can delay the updates until they have a chance to look at it and ensure they're happy with it... whatever that means. IIRC you can download the images from Google via web browser and flash manually, but not sure if you can still do that, and I've never tried it myself.
- delfinom 3y ago
  >IIRC you can download the images from Google via web browser and flash manually, but not sure if you can still do that, and I've never tried it myself. Yes you can still can. https://developers.google.com/android/ota#cheetah https://developers.google.com/android/ota#cheetah In fact they even host all the images dating back to the Nexus lines still.

dagmx 3y ago

Most of the time you can direct update, but I believe Verizon has a special carve out.

panarky 3y ago

Pixels get updates direct from Google, doesn't depend on your carrier.

fullstop 3y ago
This isn't entirely true. I have a Pixel 7 Pro and T-Mobile -- updates can be delayed by the carrier. https://9to5google.com/2023/01/12/google-pixel-t-mobile-update/ https://9to5google.com/2023/01/12/google-pixel-t-mobile-upda...
- sphars 3y ago
  Did you purchase your phone from T-Mobile? I'm on T-Mobile but I always buy my Pixels direct from Google. All updates have come direct from Google, no T-Mobile involvement at all.
  - fullstop 3y ago
    In this particular case, yes, but the update can still be blocked by the carrier. People have been successful in updating the device by temporarily putting the SIM from another carrier in the phone. My daughter's Pixel 5a update, for example, was delayed but it was purchased from Google. To be clear, the update _does_ come directly from Google but the device won't show that the update is available until the carrier gives the green light. The factory image can still be sideloaded. The P7P is the first phone that I've not purchased outright, and that's because TMO was willing to give me a ridiculously generous offer to trade in a OnePlus 7t. edit: another link -- https://www.androidpolice.com/pixel-t-mobile-update-delayed/ https://www.androidpolice.com/pixel-t-mobile-update-delayed/
    - delfinom 3y ago
      > People have been successful in updating the device by temporarily putting the SIM from another carrier in the phone. You can also just update the phone using the OTA Google provides on a page and ADB to side load it. https://developers.google.com/android/ota#cheetah https://developers.google.com/android/ota#cheetah
      - fullstop 3y ago
        Yes, this comment is being sent from an Android 14 device. The OTA image worked great.
- Alupis 3y ago
  don't buy modern phones direct from carriers, unless the deal is too good to pass up. unlocked, carrier-agnostic phones are the way to go.
  - fullstop 3y ago
    I agree, that's how I ended up buying the P7P through TMO -- it was a ridiculously generous offer. With the Pixel updates, at least, the updates come through Google but the carrier (at least TMO) can prevent this from happening even if the phone is unrestricted.

kelnos 3y ago

While the downloads do come directly from Google, they work with the carriers, who can delay the updates until they have a chance to look at it and ensure they're happy with it... whatever that means. IIRC you can download the images from Google via web browser and flash manually, but not sure if you can still do that, and I've never tried it myself.

delfinom 3y ago
>IIRC you can download the images from Google via web browser and flash manually, but not sure if you can still do that, and I've never tried it myself. Yes you can still can. https://developers.google.com/android/ota#cheetah https://developers.google.com/android/ota#cheetah In fact they even host all the images dating back to the Nexus lines still.