Past the Alphabet
Past the Alphabet is a weekly column that focuses on the tech world each inside and outside of the confines of Mountain View.
A couple of yr from now, you will in all probability begin seeing headlines speaking about “the tip of the Pixel Pill.” That is as a result of, as of June 2026, Google will not be releasing common Android updates for its solely “present” pill. As an alternative, it’ll solely obtain safety updates till these come to an finish in 2028.
Late final yr, rumors have been ramping up that Google was engaged on a minimum of one successor, presumably two. But it surely did not take lengthy for these rumors to get squashed, leaving solely the slimmest of hopes for a shock. Sadly, that shock has but to be revealed, and since we have not heard something by now, it is in all probability secure to say that Google’s newest pill expertise is over.
The Pixel Pill retains getting unnoticed
There are some things that do not make any sense about Google’s dealing with of the Pixel Pill. First, I do not perceive why the Pixel 7 and 7 Professional will see OS updates till 2027. All three units are powered by the Tensor G2, whereas the Pixel 7 and Pill each embrace 8GB of RAM. So if Google claims it is a {hardware} limitation, there is a fairly good probability it is blowing smoke.
Google modified its plans in December 2024 when it prolonged software program updates for the Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 sequence by one other two years. However nowhere in that announcement did Google have something to say in regards to the Pill, virtually as if it forgot that it even exists.
Do not get me improper, the Pixel Pill is not excellent, however I prefer to assume that it helped Google hone in on bettering the Android expertise on bigger screens. If it weren’t for the Pixel Pill, there is a good probability that the Pixel Fold might’ve been an entire failure, ensuing within the Pixel 9 Professional Fold being shelved.
That is in all probability simply me overthinking issues a bit, but it surely’s additionally not outdoors the realm of chance.
I additionally perceive that the Pixel Pill cannot make the most of every little thing that Gemini has to supply. It is a massive motive why I assumed we’d’ve seen a Pixel Pill 2 by now. Gemini has continued to enhance, and it is lastly reached the purpose that it is changing Assistant for good. And whereas you need to use the Gemini app, virtually none of its options will probably be carried out domestically on the Pill, as an alternative counting on the cloud.
Lacking out on the complete capabilities of Gemini may not appear to be all that massive of a deal, however there’s nonetheless an unaddressed elephant within the room that Google continues to disregard — the Pixel Pill is a higher Nest Hub Max.
The Pixel Pill is the Nest Hub Max 2 we by no means received
For this reason I do not need the Pixel Pill to die but. I largely maintain mine on the Charging Speaker Dock, because it’s extra responsive than both the Nest Hub Max in my kitchen or the Nest Hub in my front room after I want to manage my sensible house. Plus, Hub Mode turns the Pill into the hub for my sensible house, placing all the controls proper on the display and inside arm’s attain at my desk.
Once more, I do know that issues will not simply cease working even when Google stops sending safety patches. However I am not fairly certain how I really feel about letting the Pixel Pill proceed controlling my sensible house when it isn’t as up-to-date or safe because it may very well be (granted, 2028 remains to be some time off). And like I stated earlier than, it has been higher for me than the Nest Hub Max, so why would I need a downgraded expertise?
I’ve taken a cursory look at customized ROMs, simply to get a primary thought of what is likely to be accessible come this time subsequent yr. To this point, I’ve discovered LineageOS and /e/OS, however I nonetheless have extra analysis to do earlier than coming to any form of determination. I imply, I do not wish to undergo the headache of dusting off my rooting expertise simply to seek out that the dock would not work or that there is another characteristic that is lacking. However that is for future me to fret about.
Finally, I might simply love for Google to unravel this downside for me by releasing both a brand new Pixel Pill or Nest Hub Max. Or, it might do one thing it is by no means executed and launch an replace that turns the previous into the latter for good. Even when meaning transport the dumbed-down interface discovered on Google’s sensible shows, it will nonetheless be higher than not having the Pixel Pill in any respect.
Google I/O may very well be a make-it-or-break-it second
At this charge, I might accept a refreshed Pixel Pill, with the one change being an upgraded chip for the sake of longer software program help. It would not even should be the Tensor G4, because the Tensor G3-powered Pixel 8 and 8 Professional will obtain updates till October 2030.
Do I feel any of that is going to occur? Nope. But when one thing have been to occur, I/O 2025 is true across the nook, and that is in all probability when some kind of announcement can be made.
I am simply retaining my fingers crossed and hoping for one of the best. Perhaps placing this out into the ethos will lead to getting what I would like. It is already occurred with Chromebooks, as I wrote in regards to the “gradual demise” of the platform, just for MediaTek to announce a model new chip. C’mon Google, make a liar out of me, please.
