Google is already faltering at its seven year update promise

Seven years of updates, as seen on the Google Pixel 8 and Samsung Galaxy S24 series, should be a stand-out selling point for the latest and greatest smartphones. In theory, it is; the old days of losing the latest Android features just two years after purchase were shameful, and up-to-date security is more important than ever now that we store virtually everything on our phones. However, Google may have bitten off more than it can chew with such long support pledges, especially when tied with the promise of regular Feature Drops.

I’m sure you’ve read that Google’s Pixel 8 is at the center of recent controversy after confirming that Gemini Nano, Google’s compact model to power on-device AI, won’t be coming to the base model after making its way to the more expensive Pixel 8 Pro. That means no AI summaries or smart keyboard replies without the cloud. The reason: unspecified hardware limitations. That’s a double blow, given that Video Boost and other AI doodads were already reserved for the Pro.