Pixel Tablet: Google extends update guarantee by two years
Google is giving the Pixel Tablet a longer life. The tablet will receive two more years of updates until 2028.
Google's Pixel Tablet is allowed to live longer.
(Image: heise medien)
The Pixel Tablet, introduced in 2023, was actually supposed to receive its last Android update in June of this year. This is because Google only promised three major Android versions at its launch. Now, the company is taking a similar step as it did in December 2024 with the Pixel models 6 and 7.
From 3 to 5 years
As 9to5 Google first reported, Google has extended the update guarantee for the company's only tablet by two years in its support document. This brings the manufacturer's device lifespan in line with the update length of the Pixel 6 and 7 devices, which was increased from three years to five years in December 2024.
Effectively, this means that the Pixel Tablet will receive new Android versions, Pixel Drops, and security patches until June 2028. This change is currently visible in the English-language document. The German localized version still shows the old dates. However, this is likely to change soon.
(Image:Â heise medien)
The fact that Google did not include the Pixel Tablet in the update extension for the Pixel 6 and 7 models at the end of 2024 caused confusion at the time. This is because the tablet's processor is identical to that of the Pixel 7, which often represents the bottleneck in software development.
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7 years since Pixel 8
Five years of updates is still good compared to some Android manufacturers. It is pleasing that Google is giving its tablet more lifespan and current software, especially since this device category is replaced less frequently than a smartphone. However, Google has extended its update guarantee to seven years with the Pixel 8 and newer generations, introduced in October 2023.
In light of this change in 2024, Google's support policy for Pixel devices is as follows: The Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 7a, Pixel Fold, and the Pixel Tablet will receive five years of updates. All newer Pixel models from the Pixel 8 onwards, including mid-range models from the Pixel 8a and the foldables Pixel 9 Pro Fold and 10 Pro Fold, will receive updates for a period of seven years.
However, one of Google's device categories still suffers from “update stinginess”: The Pixel Watches, even in the latest generation in the form of the Pixel Watch 4, only receive new software versions for a period of three years. This is disappointingly short, especially when compared to the excellent support for current Pixel smartphones.
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