cross-posted from [email protected]

• Google has promised seven years of OS upgrades, security updates, and feature drops for its new Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro.
• Despite the same hardware, Pixel 8 is missing features exclusive to Pixel 8 Pro, raising questions about Google’s long-term commitment to parity among devices.
• Google spokesperson Matthew Flegal stated that not all updates will be available for every phone, without specifying the limitations.
• One feature exclusive to the Pixel 8 Pro, Video Boost, is cloud-based, indicating that the exclusivity is economically motivated, not hardware-limited.
• Author questions the true value of Google’s seven-year promise and argues that Android OS versions are becoming less significant as updates occur independently.