Vote now: Do you need seven years of software updates on your phone?

Get Google Pixel 8 Pro at Amazon for 30% off

$300 off (30%)

Google's 2023 Pixel 8 Pro flagship is available at Amazon. At the moment, the 128GB model in Bay can be yours for a stunning 30% discount, but you'd have to hurry as it's available in limited quantities.

Buy at Amazon

Google Pixel 8 is 31% off at Amazon

$219 off (31%)

The Google Pixel 8 is available at Amazon right now. The smartphone sells for $219 off in its Obdisian variant. This is the 128GB model, and it's available in limited quantities.

Buy at Amazon

Obviously, such commitment costs a company extra in building all those updates for the older models and testing them, and all that costs time, effort, and ultimately, money. Meanwhile, the most common support cycle for Android phones is two years of major OS updates, while some brands offer three.

Based on numerous surveys, the big picture is that most people keep their phones for around two years, which kind of defeats the purpose of having such long support cycles. At this point, Apple comes into the argument with the five years of software updates, but I think it's a different case altogether.

The second-hand market for Apple devices is flourishing, and they tend to hold value for much longer. It's the egg and chicken story all over again, but most Android manufacturers don't want to take a risk and drive the second-hand market for their devices with little to no profit for themselves.

Google, on the other hand, either thinks it can make people hold on to their Pixels for longer or somehow boost sales by offering such a long software support cycle. Do people really need seven years of support on their phones, though? This is the ultimate question and the deciding factor that will be the "sink or swim" moment for the Pixel 8 series. (Of course, there's the AI focus, but it's a subject of another poll.) Vote and comment, people!