The October update package for Pixel phones, rolled out by Google from the 6th of the month, also covers the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, but in all likelihood it marks the end of the road for them. The two phones, launched in October 2021, have now reached the end of the five years of support Google promised.
What changes for Pixel 6 owners
Google originally promised three years of Android updates, then extended the cover to five. That window closes in October 2026. The last major feature update was Android 17 QPR1, which arrived in September: Google has already said that both models are left out of the Android 17 QPR2 beta, because QPR1 takes them to end-of-life status.
It is not yet clear whether October really is the last security patch. Notebookcheck calls it probably the last monthly one, Android Authority expects any November update to fall beyond the cut-off, while Google has not given a precise date for the final release. For now the safest assumption is that no more fixes will arrive from November.
The phone doesn’t stop working: it keeps making calls, running apps and receiving updates to individual services. What it stops receiving is the system’s security patches, and as the months go by that becomes a real risk, especially for anyone using online banking, payments or work apps.
What’s in the October update
For newer models, the patch fixes three problems: the keyboard sometimes failing to appear when tapping search fields (Pixel 8 to Pixel 11), distorted ringtones on some VoIP calls such as WhatsApp (Pixel 8 to Pixel 10), and photos or videos saved with the wrong orientation (Pixel 11 only). The security side covers 28 vulnerabilities in the Android system, plus another six specific to Pixel devices listed in Google’s bulletin.
To install it: Settings, System, Software updates, System update.
What about the Pixel 6a?
It’s not in the same situation. The Pixel 6a, which came out later, is covered for five years, until July 2027. Owners of the standard or Pro model, on the other hand, need to start thinking about a replacement.
What to do now
There are three options. You can change phone: the Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro come with seven years of software support, a far longer guarantee. You can go for a used or refurbished model, though you should check how many years of patches it has left. Or you can hang on to the Pixel 6 for a while, avoiding sensitive apps and keeping your browser and Google services up to date.
Our view
Five years is a good result for an Android phone, and Google is right to state the timelines up front. Plenty of people, though, are still happily using theirs. The end of support is a good moment to remember how much the number of guaranteed update years should weigh when choosing a smartphone: at the same price, look at that before the processor.
Written by the SpazioiTech newsroom with the help of AI tools, from facts verified across at least two independent outlets, and checked before publication. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
Translated from the Italian original. Read in Italian
