UpdateTiers.com

In 2023, Google has promised to provide 7 years of OS updates to its latest phone. They have never provided more than 4 years of updates to any of its previous phones. Can they keep the promise?

In fact, there has been only one mainstream phone that has neared 7 years of updates, an iPhone 6s. We use data from public sources to verify Googles claim, as well as compare it to other companies.

7 years

Google

Apple

Samsung

Pixel 8→ See details
Released in 2023. Is being updated.
iPhone 15→ See details
Released in 2023. Is being updated.
Galaxy S23→ See details
Released in 2023. Is being updated.
Pixel 7→ See details
Released in 2022. Is being updated.
iPhone 14→ See details
Released in 2022. Is being updated.
Galaxy S22→ See details
Released in 2022. Is being updated.
Pixel 6→ See details
Released in 2021. Is being updated.
iPhone 13→ See details
Released in 2021. Is being updated.
Galaxy S21→ See details
Released in 2021. Is being updated.
Pixel 5→ See details
Released in 2020. Is being updated.
iPhone 12→ See details
Released in 2020. Is being updated.
Galaxy S20C→ See details
Released in 2020. Updates ended after 3 full years.
Pixel 4B-→ See details
Released in 2019. Updates ended after 3 full years.
iPhone 11B→ See details
Released in 2019. Is being updated after 4 full years.
Galaxy S10B-→ See details
Released in 2019. Updates ended after 3 full years.
Pixel 3C→ See details
Released in 2018. Updates ended after 3 full years.
iPhone XSA→ See details
Released in 2018. Is being updated after 5 full years.
Galaxy S9C→ See details
Released in 2018. Updates ended after 3 full years.
Pixel 2B-→ See details
Released in 2017. Updates ended after 3 full years.
iPhone 8AA-→ See details
Released in 2017. Updates ended after 5 full years.
Galaxy S8F→ See details
Released in 2017. Updates ended after 2 full years.
PixelB-→ See details
Released in 2016. Updates ended after 3 full years.
iPhone 7AA-→ See details
Released in 2016. Updates ended after 5 full years.
Galaxy S7F→ See details
Released in 2016. Updates ended after 2 full years.
Nexus 6PC-→ See details
Released in 2015. Updates ended after 2 full years.
iPhone 6SS-→ See details
Released in 2015. Updates ended after 6 full years.
Galaxy S6C→ See details
Released in 2015. Updates ended after 3 full years.
Nexus 5F→ See details
Released in 2014. Updates ended after 2 full years.
iPhone 6A→ See details
Released in 2014. Updates ended after 5 full years.
Galaxy S5F→ See details
Released in 2014. Updates ended after 2 full years.

Tier List

S
7 years of updates or more
AA
6 years of updates or more
A
5 years of updates or more
B
4 years of updates or more
C
3 years of updates or more
F
under 3 years of updates

If support duration is 2 months short towards next tier, then next tier is applied with the minus badge.

What devices are included?

Most representative mainstream device of the company from each year during past 10 years.

These devices typically have yearly release schedule, they are most heavily marketed and are considered most mainstream flagships. Plus, Mini, Max or Pro models that are often released alongside main model, are not included.

How is support duration calculated?

Support duration is calculated starting form the device release date, and ending with the date when next major unsupported update of the OS was released , that was not made available to this device.

Here is an example: iPhone 6s was announced on September 9, 2015. It was officially released to public (made available) on September 25, 2015. We use the September 25, 2015 date to start the countdown. iPhone 6s was released with iOS 9 preinstalled. It was updated to iOS 10, then iOS 11, then iOS 12, then iOS 13, then iOS 14, then iOS 15. When iOS 16 was released on the September 12, 2022, Apple has announced that iPhone 6s will not receive an update to this OS. We use the September 12, 2022 date as end of support date.

What are Nexus phones?

Nexus was a branding of phones that were designed, developed and marketed by Google, hovewer manufacturing was carried out by other companies, such as LG and Motorola. In the 2016, Nexus lineup was replaces by Pixel which was more managed by Google itself. It can be argued whether lack of support for these devices should be attributed to Google, hovewer unwillingless to take ownership itself if source of the problem since Nexus lineup is tightly associated with Google brand itself.