Google quietly reveals that the Pixel 6 series will get Android 16
Here is some good news for owners of the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. The two phones launched in 2021 with three years of support which ended with the release of Android 15 last month. Or did it? According to Google's own support documentation, the Pixel 6a, which was released nine months after the Pixel 6 line became available, will continue to receive Android updates through July 2025. Since Android 16 is expected to be released in Q2 of 2025, it can be assumed that the mid-range Pixel 6a will receive the Android 16 update.
The Pixel 6a runs on the same first-generation Tensor application processor (AP) as the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro do. As a result, the work Google needs to finish in order to spruce up the chipset for Android 16 will need to be done for the Pixel 6a anyway. Google might as well allow all that hard work to pay off for Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro users many of who already feel that Google owes them because of some bad decisions made for the Pixel 6 line such as:
- Using a totally horrible Shannon A5123 modem that often left Pixel 6 series users without connectivity forcing them to connect to others via smoke signals. This was replaced the next year with the much improved Samsung Exynos Modem 5300.
- The optical fingerprint sensor under the display was as bad as the modem. Google went with cheap and finally corrected this with the optical fingerprint sensor used with the Pixel 9 line.
- No facial recognition biometric reader which forced users to use the optical fingerprint reader (see above). A secure facial recognition system has been found on any Pixel model since the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL.
Here is the evidence that Pixel 6 series owners might be getting some extra Android support time. As we told you earlier today, the Pixel 6 series is eligible to be updated to the Android 16 Developer Preview via system images which requires you to flash your device. You're better off waiting for the OTA update to come. With this news, it would be very odd if the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro didn't receive Android 16 next year.
The schedule for Android 16 plays out like this:
- Today-Android 16 Developer Preview 1
- December 2024-Android 16 Developer Preview 2
- January 2025-Android 16 Beta 1
- February 2025-Android 16 Beta 2
- March 2025-Android 16 Beta 3
- April 2025-Android 16 Beta 4
- Second Quarter 2025-Android 16 stable version
More importantly, for those of you who were ready to say adios to your Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro, you still might get another year of support. Mishaal Rahman, the smartest guy in any room, says that he sees Google squeezing out Android 17 for the Pixel 6 line. Hopefully, he's right. Even if your older daily driver is now on the sidelines, no one likes to see any of their phones lose support.
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