The Pixel 6 just got a free software upgrade that makes it my favorite budget Android phone

Kerry Wan/ZDNET

With all the hardware changes and camera upgrades that come with every phone launch, it's easy to look past the more subtle but very important aspect of software update policies. To put it simply, that's the company's commitment to keeping its phones up to date, including annual operating system upgrades (in line with Android or iOS), security patches, and other feature drops.

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Because the phone's hardware can only hold up for so long, software updates are critical to keeping the device running smoothly and safely for an extended period of time. That's why the latest news from Google, which comes via a change to the Pixel support page, is such a big deal. 

As discovered by Mishaal Rahman, Google has officially extended its software update policy for older Pixel phones, including the Pixel 6 series, Pixel 7 series, and Pixel Fold, for an additional two years.

Notably, these are two more years of both OS and security updates, meaning models like the Pixel 6 (which launched in 2021) will now be eligible to be upgraded to Android 17, while the Pixel 7 and Pixel Fold can be upgraded to Android 18. Of course, the yearly Android operating system refresh is not as extreme as it once was, with Google focusing on security and privacy more than design overhauls at this point in time.

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Still, the ability to keep your older Google Pixel phone up to date with the latest security patches and feature drops is a big win, especially if you're still satisfied with your phone and want to use it for another year or two. 

To summarize, the new software update policy gives the Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 7a, and Pixel Fold a total of five years of Android OS and security patches. That's still two years less than Google's seven-year promise for its more recent Pixel 8 and Pixel 9 series of phones, but a benefit nonetheless that requires no additional effort from you, the consumer.