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Which Pixel phones will get Android 12?

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By Doroteya Borisova

Published: Oct 21, 2021, 6:14 AM

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The arrival of Android 12, the newest update to Google's mobile operating system, was one of the highlights of Google's launch livestream this week (along with the Google Pixel 6, of course).

Even during the launch on Tuesday, the Android 12 update prompt had already started appearing on some of our Pixel phones. And as we found out, unsurprisingly, the most recent Android iteration will be hitting Pixel devices first.

But will all Pixel phones be receiving the update? What about the older models? As is to be expected, there is a limit on how far back a new software update is able to be stretched due to compatibility issues.

And unfortunately, it doesn't stretch all the way to the first Pixel released in 2016—or the second, for that matter. Here is an exhaustive list of all the current Pixel phones that are getting Android 12.

Pixel 5
Pixel 5a
Pixel 4
Pixel 4XL
Pixel 4a
Pixel 4a 5G
Pixel 3
Pixel 3 XL
Pixel 3a
Pixel 3

Google Pixel 6 Pro

$899

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Google Pixel 6

$599 ⁹⁹

Buy at BestBuy

Naturally, the new Pixel 6 ships with Android 12 straight out of the box, but the update has already been released to all (or nearly all) the rest of the Pixel phone models.

So if you own any of the above handsets, that means you should already have received (or be receiving any time now) the prompt to download Android 12 onto your mobile. It took five beta versions, as well as an AOSP version to get the final iteration fully polished for release, and here it is at last!

If you want to see if you have access to Android 12 on your Pixel yet, you can go to Settings > System Update.

We've already tried Android 12 on Pixel, and you should too

As some of you may be aware, Pixels were from the very beginning meant to showcase Android at its best. And while the Pixel series never gained as much popularity as the big players in the smartphone market, it remains the original and most efficient container for running stock Android. Here's our detailed Android 12 review.

This year, Android 12 also brought the Pixel-exclusive Material You wallpaper feature, although that will also eventually reach other Android phones.

How many years of updates does Pixel 6 get?

Now, there's major software upgrades (usually annual), and smaller security updates and patches. Google has said that like its previous phones, the Pixel 6 is getting 3 years of major upgrades, meaning it should run Android 15 when it rolls around.

However, the Pixel 6—and older Pixels—will continue receiving routine patches for 2 more years after that. So don't worry: the shiny new phone won't become obsolete for a good 5 years at least, and probably well more than that!

We build Pixel phones to get better over time with software and feature updates, so starting with Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro Pixels will now receive security updates for at least 5 years. Users will still get at least 3 years of OS updates, after which we’re committing to ensure that Pixels will stay up-to-date and secure. The frequency and categories of updates will depend on the capabilities and needs of the hardware. —Google

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