How many updates will the Google Pixel 8a receive?
Best answer: The Google Pixel 8a comes with the promise of seven years of OS and security updates as well as consistent Feature Drops. So, the experience will be current for many years to come, likely even beyond when you decide to upgrade to a new phone.
Why updates matter with the Google Pixel 8a
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The Google Pixel 8a, the latest budget entry in the Google Pixel line, joins the Google Pixel 8 and Google Pixel 8 Pro. Like its bigger siblings, it promises seven years of OS and security updates as well as Feature Drops. This means the phone will be “current” until 2031.
Loaded with Android 14 out of the box, it offers the same OS as the other two phones in the line that launched last year. Like the others, Feature Drops are included, and this assurance means you will be able to load and enjoy new features on the phone for the same length of time. Google launches Feature Drops consistently, several times per year, so the phone will always provide a fresh, new experience.
The Google Pixel 8a, which will likely rank among the best cheap Android phones, is about as powerful as the Pixel 8, although not so much the Pixel 8 Pro with its 12GB of RAM. Still, it’s a decent phone that users will want to keep for years. With that said, if you do decide to upgrade, the option to resell or trade-in the device, or even hand it down to a friend or family member, helps extend the investment and add value. With so many years of support, the phone will retain more of its value than a device that only supports a few years of OS and/or security updates, for example, and is considered outdated by the time you’re ready to upgrade.
You could purchase the Google Pixel 8a, for example, use it for a few years, then hand it over to a family member. Upgrade to something more powerful if you decide you need something else or if you have saved up for a higher-end phone. Parents will especially love the lengthy support since you can confidently invest in this phone for one child and hand it down to the next when they come of age without worrying that it won’t be supported by the latest OS or, more importantly, security updates.
It should be noted that Google offers a shorter software promise with its older, recent Pixel phones and devices, which only span three OS upgrades and five years of updates, making this is an important selling point for the Pixel 8a. Keep the phone protected in a great Pixel 8a case, add a screen protector, and this phone will not only look but also operate like new for many years to come.
It will last a long time
The Google Pixel 8a, like other Pixel 8 devices, promises to be supported for many years to come, so you don’t have to worry that it will need upgrading in a few years. Even if you do want to upgrade, you can pass the phone on, trade it in, or resell it and get a good chunk of dough to put towards a new phone.