The Pixel 3 phones aren’t getting any more platform or security updates
The Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL can now join their predecessors in the smartphone retirement home. As of today, they won’t be getting any more software updates from Google. While it can still function, a phone is considered dead when it doesn’t receive any more software updates. That sounds a bit harsh, and admittedly, it seems to lessen the value of a phone that still has some life in it.
Why updates are important
However, we can’t forget about the importance of software updates. Stubborn users among us can still use a phone even when the software version isn’t the newest; there’s nothing wrong with that. The issue is when a phone is out of date for too long. Companies regularly send out security patches that help protect the phone from hackers. Unfortunately, that shiny new platform upgrade you just installed has security holes and vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit. When this happens, software developers are notified, and they send out an update to patch up the weakness. If your phone is no longer getting security updates, whatever holes there are will stay. This puts your device at risk of being hacked. This puts all of your data at risk.
Don’t rush out and trade in your Pixel 3 just yet
Don’t worry, if you have a Pixel 3, it doesn’t mean you’re at risk right this moment. If you have a Pixel 3, you can still keep it for a while longer. One good reason why you shouldn’t get rid of it is because it’s still able to get the latest Android update: Android 12. People who use this phone can still enjoy all the fresh new features that are coming with the upgrade. There wouldn’t be much point in getting rid of your Pixel 3 right now.
But, if you MUST upgrade, there’s the Pixel 6
If you want to stay in the Pixel ecosystem, and you want the latest and greatest, you can upgrade to a Pixel 6. This is the newest handset from Google, and it brought a lot of changes this year around. The Pixel 6 has a 6.4-inch 1080p AMOLED display, 8GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, a 50-megapixel camera, and a 4,616mAh battery. This phone runs an impressive $599. The Pixel 6 Pro has a 6.7-inch 1440p AMOLED display, 12GB of RAM, up to 512GB of storage, the same 50-megapixel camera (with a 4x telephoto camera), and a 5,000mAh battery. This model will run you a respectable $899.
