If You Own One Of These Pixel Phones, You Need To Upgrade Soon

Google has just rolled out one last security update for its Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL smartphones before ending support for the two devices. The Pixel 3-series was launched in 2018 with Android 9 Pie and received the Android 12 update last October as part of Google’s promise of three major Android version updates for its Pixel devices. The company has now pushed one final update to the two devices before ending support officially.

The final update for the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL comes just days after the ‘Unlimited Upload’ offer for the two devices expired last month. Google launched both devices with the promise of unlimited uploads to Google Photos for original quality images, but the feature was only valid until Jan. 31, 2022. However, owners of the two devices still have unlimited upload with the ‘storage saver’ option that stores images in reduced quality.

The incoming ‘Feb. 2022’ update for the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL comes with the latest security patches that keep the devices and their owners safe against known exploits. The cumulative updates have two builds, one for the unlocked version and another for Australian carriers Telstra, Optus and Vodafone. As noted by 9to5Google, the device was only guaranteed updates until Oct. 2021, so the latest update is a bit of a bonus for Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL users. However, some people were hoping for the additional update because Google had done the same thing with the Pixel 2 line last winter. The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL officially reached end-of-life status in Oct. 2020 but received an additional security update a couple of months later in December.

Customs ROMs Will Still Bring More Updates

Interestingly, the mid-range Pixel 3a and Pixel 3a XL will still be eligible for the Android 12L Beta program, whereas support for the flagship Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL has been dropped. That, however, is because the Pixel 3a line is around seven months younger than the Pixel 3-series, which means it is slated to receive seven more months of updates before they reach the end of their support period. So as things stand now, the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL will not receive the official Android 12L update, while the Pixel 3a-series remains eligible for it.

While Google may have officially called it quits on the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL, device owners still have ways to taste newer versions of Android. Both these phones have plenty of third-party development in terms of custom ROMs based on the latest Android releases, often with a plethora of new features and functions unavailable in Google’s version of Android. Users can easily get the latest software from XDA if they want, although installing custom ROMs may not be everyone’s cup of tea. Still, for users who want to try it out, it is a solid option to get the latest flavors of Android with all new features and functions long after they have been retired by their manufacturer.

Source: 9to5Google