Google’s new seven-year software update commitment for the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro is a significant step forward for Android. But it also highlights one of the biggest weaknesses most Android phones face, regardless of their price: They don’t get enough software support. Google’s $449 Pixel 5A from 2021, for example, won’t receive new Android OS upgrades or software updates past August 2024. Three years of updates can go by pretty quickly.
Smartphone sales continue to decline year over year amid inflation, and people are likely looking for devices they can hold onto for as long as possible. Market analyst firm Canalys is predicting that the North American smartphone market will decline by 12% this year, though it also notes that phone-makers are still relying on the otherwise stable market for premium phones. As customers hang onto their phones longer, keeping those customers up to date with new features and security protections requires longer upgrade periods.
And it’s not just inflation that underlies the need for phones to get more years of software support. The update extension arrives alongside a push for phones to become more repairable. An increasing number of US states are passing right to repair laws that cover electronics, and right to repair proposals recently adopted by the European Union also include phones and tablets.
Now, as Google begins to push its own Android phones to last longer, here are the biggest reasons phone buyers stand to benefit should the wider industry embrace longer phone lifespans.
Samsung Galaxy phones, like the Galaxy S23 Ultra seen here, previously led Google’s software update policy, by providing four years of updates.
OnePlus recently started promising a similar four years of software updates and five years of security updates for some of its phones, such as the OnePlus 11.
Motorola, meanwhile, has long lagged behind, but it currently promises three years of software updates and four years of security updates for the $1,000 Razr Plus. I’ve reached out to Apple, Samsung, Motorola and OnePlus for comment about these policies in the wake of Google’s announcement.
As a result of these differing policies, it can be quite intimidating to keep up with how long an Android phone is safe to use. If these policies could continue to extend to accommodate whether someone wanted to hold onto their phone for two years or for more than five years, that would at the least afford people with the most flexibility, whether or not they wanted to get a phone upgrade.
Battery life has led people to decide to upgrade a phone, but battery replacement costs are often much cheaper than an upgrade.
Today’s phone hardware can go the distance, and repair costs are dropping
The most common reasons to replace a phone often come down to battery life and performance, unless you’ve lost or broken your device. According to a 2019 survey conducted by Office Depot, 63% of its 1,018 respondents cited battery life issues as their reason, closely followed by slow processing speeds and a broken charging port.
However, many of those problems are now easier to address, enabling devices to last longer. Software optimizations help manage a phone’s performance and battery. A lost device can be pinged using Find My Device on Android. And costs to repair devices — while still high in some cases — have been declining. An out-of-warranty battery replacement usually costs around $100 or less: For instance, getting a Samsung Galaxy S21’s battery replaced at Best Buy costs $80.
Google spent part of its Pixel 8 launch event touting the fact that the new phone line should be easier to repair, including publicizing its continued partnership with iFixit to provide spare parts and repair guides. Google has told Android Authority that spare parts availability will also last the same seven years as software support. Apple has also made an effort to reduce some repair costs by changing how the iPhone is manufactured. The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max’s aluminum substructure makes it easier to replace cracked or damaged back glass.
These efforts will hopefully push the phone industry even more toward moves that extend the lifespan of devices, making it so you have to replace your phone only when you absolutely must.
I do wish phone-makers could go one step further, though, by making the hardware just as easy to upgrade as the software. Roughly a decade ago, in 2013, Google developed a modular phone concept called Project Ara that made it possible to essentially build your phone by snapping pieces together, similar to a PC. The concept theoretically would allow for simple repairs and even phone upgrades. But that dream was dashed, with launch plans delayed and eventually canceled.
In the meantime, phones are increasingly being made with recycled materials, with Apple and Samsung both promoting a greater use of recycled metals and plastics in the production of their flagship phones. A larger reliance on recycled materials could help reduce waste created when phones are discarded.
The Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate pairs up with a fan accessory, which opens a door on the phone to enhance cooling.
Lastly, while right to repair laws are improving access to phone repairs, these fixes are still difficult to manage without officially licensed parts and guides. For instance, Apple’s iPhone 14 recently had its repairability score downgraded by iFixit due to requiring a software handshake even when using genuine replacement parts from Apple. Compared with long-running industries like those behind kitchen appliances and computers, the phone market sees off-the-shelf parts that are often unusable in repairs. Meanwhile, Valve’s Steam Deck handheld gaming console is quite simple to crack open to upgrade with more storage. Some companies are selling aftermarket Steam Deck screens with higher resolutions.
Even though there’s more that can be done to extend the life cycle of phones like the Pixel 8, Google’s seven-year promise for software and security updates is commendable. Should the company follow through, it’ll mean the Pixel 8 will receive more major software updates than many of Apple’s iPhone models, while encouraging customers to stick with Pixel for the long haul. Now I’m just waiting for Samsung, Motorola, OnePlus and other phone-makers to catch up.
Article source: https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/googles-pixel-8-software-update-plan-could-help-all-phone-buyers/#ftag=CADe34d7bf