Google's Pixel support page contains this sentence: "Pixel 8 and later phones will get updates for 7 years starting from when the device first became available on the Google Store in the US." Seven years is the promise, but the day that clock starts is not the day you bought the phone.
The clock starts at first US Google Store availability
Google's support document splits the term by generation: seven years for Pixel 8 and later, five years for the Pixel 6 and 7 generations and the Pixel Fold. It uses the same wording for the later group: "These phones, including Pixel Fold, will get updates for 5 years starting from when the device first became available on the Google Store in the US." Pixel 5a and earlier are already done. Under the line "The following Pixel phones no longer receive Android version updates and security updates:" the page lists everything from the Pixel 5a back to the first Pixel.
The starting dates live in a separate document. The "Find when your Pixel device became available" page states that "The table below shows when your Pixel device was available to purchase on the Google Store in the US." and lists the month for each model.
Add the term to the table and the final month appears
| Device | First available, US Google Store | Support term | Ends |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pixel 6 / 6 Pro | October 2021 | 5 years | October 2026 |
| Pixel 6a | July 2022 | 5 years | July 2027 |
| Pixel 7 / 7 Pro | October 2022 | 5 years | October 2027 |
| Pixel Fold | June 2023 | 5 years | June 2028 |
| Pixel 8 / 8 Pro | October 2023 | 7 years | October 2030 |
As of this month, the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro have roughly one month left. Conversely, a Pixel 8 bought used in October 2025 has already burned two of its seven years. That one clause about first availability, rather than purchase date, creates the gap. If the local launch trailed the US launch, subtract that lag too.
What the term covers is also written down. For Pixel 8 and later the page says "This includes 7 years of OS and security updates" - Android version upgrades and security patches are bound to the same window.
Samsung answers with a list instead of a term
Samsung Mobile Security phrases it differently: "As of January 2024, we are extending our security update support for Samsung Galaxy devices by up to 7 years." Up to seven years. The page gives no per-model end date.
It gives lists instead. The page states that "Samsung releases monthly, quarterly and biannual firmware security updates on selected Samsung devices listed below." and then separates monthly from quarterly models. Today the S series runs monthly from the S26 down to the S23, while the quarterly list holds "Galaxy S22, Galaxy S22+, Galaxy S22 Ultra" along with the Galaxy Z Fold4 and Z Flip4.
That list is the status report. The footnote on the monthly list explains: "The list of monthly security update models are subject to change as the regular support period expires." Models drop off the monthly list when their regular support period ends. The footnote on the quarterly list goes only as far as "The list of security update models are subject to change and it will be reviewed on a periodic basis," giving no reason for removal. Moving from monthly to quarterly is a cadence change, not an end: the page says "Monthly, quarterly and biannual firmware security updates will include patches for Android OS related security issues released by Google," binding all three cadences to the same kind of patch.
The footnote on the monthly list adds a carrier variable: "some carriers may only support quarterly updates for all applicable current models listed above." A monthly-tier model can still land on a quarterly schedule depending on the carrier. And while the page says biannual updates exist, it publishes no biannual model list - a question the source leaves open.
How to check it now
Start with the device itself. Google's documented path is to open the Settings app and "Tap System Software update," and the same page says you can find the "Android version number and security update level in your Settings app." That security update level tells you how far your device has actually been brought.
Then compare against the manufacturer's document. For a Galaxy, search the monthly and quarterly lists on the security page for your model name. If it is absent, the model is on no published cadence, and Samsung does not give the reason on that page.
Hardware can be fine while software support ends on its own schedule. Even if the battery-cycle lifespan still has years in it, the security patches can stop first.