As the wheels turn, you can rely on Google Pixel to help you make plans, document big moments, and keep in touch with friends – while the phone itself gets better along the way. To protect your sensitive data from new threats and you from new-phone FOMO, new Pixel phones (starting with Pixel 8 Pro and Pixel 8),¹ Pixel Drops,² and OS upgrades. So the Pixel you buy today will only get better over time.

“We know Pixel users love our devices, so we’re always trying to think of new ways to keep them in their hands for as long as possible,” says Aisha Sharif, Pixel product manager.

Multiple times a year, you’ll get fresh new features and world-class security updates. And you’ll keep getting them for seven years after the phone is released.  

How long should you keep your phone? Over the past few years, Sharif and her team noticed users were holding on to their phones for longer periods of time.

Some people fell in love with the feel or color of a specific Pixel phone, or grew attached to the device they’d been using for years. Others bought the newest Pixel and passed their old phones down to their children to use.

The Pixel team needed a solution that allowed users to keep the phones they love while giving them access to the newest features and security updates. “At Pixel, we want our devices to get better over time,” Sharif says.

Pixel 9 Pro and Pro XL

All pro. Pure magic.

Each new Pixel Drop brings updates that ensure your phone keeps improving. In January 2025, Pixel phones received updates to Gemini Live that allow you to talk through the images, files, and videos you see on Pixel.³ Whether you need advice on styling an event based on the venue, or help doubling a recipe, Gemini Live can analyze what you’re looking at and brainstorm with you.

This Pixel Drop also improved Circle to Search with AI Overviews. Pixel users now see more sourced summaries for places, trending images, and unique objects when they circle, highlight, or tap on their Pixel screen.⁴ And those are just a couple of the updates in a single Pixel Drop.

“It’s like getting a gift,” Sharif explains. “There’s that exciting moment when you purchase your new phone. But it doesn’t stop getting exciting after that point.”

Plus, behind the scenes, Pixel is getting safer all the time thanks to regular security updates and bug fixes. The aim is to deliver updates to Pixel users on a consistent basis. This means security updates, bug fixes, and feature updates won’t roll out on a specific day each month – they’ll arrive as soon as they’re ready.

Sharif stressed that each new Pixel Drop is designed to work seamlessly with existing Pixel hardware.

For Sharif and her team, the seven years of updates are the culmination of years of work to make Pixel feel fresh but also familiar. “We want you to feel like you’re always getting a new phone,” she says. “But it’s still the old Pixel that you love.”

So how long can a phone last? With the latest Pixels, it’s a lot longer than you’re used to.