Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro: New Android versions are coming, but Google cannot meet expectations

For well-known reasons, many users of the Pixel 6 smartphones were not very happy with their new device in the first few months, but Google seems to be slowly getting it under control. The biggest problems have been solved, but from a current perspective, looking into the future does not bode well: One can only hope that the delays until the release of Android 13 can be eliminated soon.

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The devices of the Pixel 6 series are very good smartphones, the vast majority of owners and testers agree on that and should certainly enjoy them in the future. But in the first few months, Google software problems once again thwarted the plans, which were a bit more serious in the current generation than in previous years. No wonder it caused a lot of discussions.

Since Friday last week, the redeeming update has been rolled out, which finally solves many – but not all – problems. So far, the feedback has been largely positive and many would probably wish that the discussions and reports would now come to an end. But Google still has construction sites open that should be addressed very urgently. Although it is not about the basic functions of the smartphone, it is about the expectations that one has of a Google smartphone for understandable reasons.

Google smartphones are always the first to receive an update, to try out new features and also the first to take a close look at a new operating system. This was repeatedly communicated by Google as a strong argument and has of course solidified in the expectations of users. But exactly this cannot be fulfilled since the start.

Security updates are delayed and are up to two weeks behind the older Pixel generations. Although security gaps are rarely actively exploited at an early stage, if it should be the case, Google has a real problem with the current process. But the delay does not only apply to the security updates, but also to minor improvements or the pixel feature drops. Without question, as a Pixel 6 user, you can expect to get these at the same time as previous models.

Android 12L and Android 13 are pushing

It’s even more annoying with the operating systems: Android 12L is in the second beta and two steps away from the final release. But to this day it cannot be tried out on the Pixel 6 smartphones. The 12L is not designed for the classic Pixel smartphones, but if you give the Pixel 3a to Pixel 5a the opportunity, the sixth generation should not be left behind. Based on the current situation, things will probably look bad for Android 13 as well. THE big new operating system for 2022. It would be more than annoying if you couldn’t get the delays until the first 13 releases under control.

I don’t know the size of the group of users who install beta or dev versions of upcoming Android versions on their Pixel smartphones. But it’s more about being able than doing. The question remains: why is it? Is all the overhead coming from Tensor, and if so, why isn’t Google putting more resources into that development branch? It may be a budget hit, but the reputation of Pixel phones should be worth the extra cost…

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