My Pixel 6 is still going strong thanks to Google's generous Android updates

Five years ago, Google broke new ground with the Google Pixel 6 lineup.

These were the first phones to be powered not by a Qualcomm chip, but by Google's homegrown silicon, the Tensor G1.

That first-generation chip wasn't without its problems. However, it set the Pixel apart with unique computational photography features like Magic Eraser.

The Pixel 6 quickly rose to become the best phone of 2021, and was certainly enough to encourage me to dive back into the world of Android at least on a part-time basis.

But that silicon transition echoed well beyond one phone. The Tensor chip put Google in control of its own destiny, charting a path for a new generation of Android devices.

Still, the Pixel 6 was the phone that started it all, and it's survived well beyond everyone's expectations. Plus, it's held its own even as newer and shinier Pixels have arrived.

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Defying the expiration date

The Pixel 6 outpaced Google's already generous promises

Before the Pixel 6, three years of Android updates were considered a generous promise. That was the case with the Pixel 5, which remains permanently frozen on Android 14.

That changed in 2021 when Google issued a five-year update promise. That sounded generous on the surface, but the devil was in the details.

Google only promised five years of security updates. Major Android updates were still slated to stop in three years, with Android 15 expected to be the end of the road.

That was a minimum, but many remained skeptical that Google would extend that by more than a few months.

However, not only did Google leave those expectations in the dust, extending full update support to five years, it also ensured that newer Android versions would continue to run well on the legacy smartphone.

Google's silicon proves its mettle

The Tensor experiment has become a winning strategy

It's hard to argue that Google's Tensor chip isn't the secret sauce here. My Pixel 6 is already running the public release of Android 17, and it's doing it amazingly well.

Since Google owns all the pieces, Pixel phones are always first in line to get major Android updates. Still, it would have been understandable to see only the latest models at the front of that line.

Surprisingly, that wasn't the case. Google refused to treat its classic Pixel 6 as a second-class citizen. The Android 17 beta arrived on my phone at the same time as the rest.

Granted, the Pixel 6 skipped a few smaller QPR builds along the way to deal with some Tensor G1 quirks, but for the most part the beta cycle stayed in sync across the entire Pixel lineup.

In the end, the Pixel 6 crossed the stable finish line right alongside the Pixel 10.

Keeping a 5-year-old smartphone in a main Android development cycle was a rare move that showed Google was serious about making the Pixel 6 thrive.

Google started this process last year when it upgraded the Linux kernel to 6.1 and rolled that out across the entire Pixel lineup, including the Pixel 6.

That marked the end of the line for Tensor G1 kernel updates. The Pixel 6 won't get the newer 6.12 kernel, but it ensures the Pixel 6 remains on a stable footing.

Lack of Gemini AI is a feature, not a bug

Not everyone wants the latest bells and whistles

Android 17 brings every important new feature to my Pixel 6. I get floating app bubbles, secure cross-platform RCS messaging, a cleaner user interface, and more.

The only thing that's conspicuously missing is something that many owners of "classic" Pixel phones probably won't care much about: Gemini AI. I know I certainly don't.

The Tensor G1 can't handle the demands of on-device AI models, but that's a good thing.

Instead, the Pixel 6 offers a breath of fresh air, an oasis, if you will, for those who want a fast, reliable smartphone that doesn't try to second-guess them.

My first Android phone was a Nexus One, and I've loved the "pure Android" approach ever since.

My Pixel 6 feels like the spiritual successor to that, delivering solid performance without the AI cruft.

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Riding into an October sunset

A venerable smartphone prepares for a well-earned retirement

All good things must come to an end, and it may soon be time to pour one out for Google's best legacy phone.

While Google beat its three-year promise by taking the Pixel 6 to Android 17, October 2026 will spell the official end of the line.

That doesn't mean the Pixel 6 will suddenly drop dead. You'll be able to continue using it on whatever the latest Android 17 build is, but it won't get any more updates.

Unfortunately, that includes security updates, which means continuing to use the Pixel 6 could start to become risky.

Practicing safe computing hygiene can mitigate some of that, but the time will come when new exploits make it too dangerous to leave online.

Still, five years is an incredibly good run for any smartphone. The Pixel 6 has proven that Google's integrated hardware strategy is a proven winner.

It also makes us incredibly optimistic regarding Google's seven-year promises for more recent models.

Newer Tensor chips have only become better, and the Pixel 6 experience shows it's entirely feasible that Android 21 will run smoothly on a Pixel 8 someday.