Google’s Pixel 6 Pro has a new lease of life.
Google’s improved software support for its newer phones has been extended to older devices in a recent policy change.
The Search company has upgraded several Pixel phones to at least five years of Android and security updates, starting from the date they were released. That means, for example, the Pixel 6 will be fully supported until 2026, potentially receiving Android 16 and 17.
The Pixel 6 had originally been scheduled to receive three Android updates when it was released in 2021. The full list of devices with five years of extended support is below.
- Pixel Fold
- Pixel 7a
- Pixel 7 Pro
- Pixel 7
- Pixel 6 Pro
- Pixel 6
- Pixel 6a
Google’s dramatically improved software support policy that started with the Pixel 6 (and the homegrown tensor chip that powers it) has been replicated across the Android sphere. At its worst, some Android manufacturers were selling phones with one promised operating system update.
But backlash and competition—from within the Android world and externally from Apple—has meant that virtually all Android handsets offer a reasonable amount of software support. We’re also seeing more major retrospective AI upgrades for older phones being rolled out for free. However, that may change if Samsung decides to charge for Galaxy AI in 2025, as it has repeatedly hinted at.
Is the Pixel 6 worth buying in 2024/2025?
Yes, if you are happy with exchanging the phone in two years. That isn’t necessarily a bad idea because the device is selling for under $200 on the secondary market. A better bet would be picking up the Pixel 7 or Pixel 7 Pro, which will be fully supported until 2027 and currently costs less than $250 on eBay and Swappa.
If you keep an eye on Amazon’s pricing you might be able to get a base Pixel 7 for around $300. The other upside to buying an older Pixel phone is that Google is the only company that will pay top dollar for Pixel handsets when trading in to buy a newer device. In September, the company was paying $450 for the Pixel 6 and $540 for the Pixel 7 when buying the Pixel 9 .