Google delivers the Pixel 4 and 4 XL's last guaranteed update

If you've been holding on to a Pixel 4 for the past three years, you'll have to get used to going without OS upgrades. Android Police notes that, as planned, Google has released its last guaranteed software update for the Pixel 4 and 4 XL. 

They just include the usual round of minor bug fixes and security patches, but you can't count on anything beyond this. While Google is known to provide one last update as a sendoff, it's not clear when (or if) that's coming.

Some Pixel 4 family members are still covered. The Pixel 4a is slated to receive regular version and security updates until August 2023, while the 4a 5G is safe until November that year. And you can rest easier if you're a Pixel 6 owner. 

That device line is Google's first to get five promised years of security updates, so it shouldn't lose out before fall 2026.

Your Pixel 4 won't immediately become obsolete, of course. Updates to Google Play Services and apps should keep the Android flagship useful for a while yet, and Google may rush out emergency patches for significant security flaws. 

Even so, you'll want to consider a new phone if you insist on a consistent update stream. Google may not have timed this week's Pixel 7 launch to catch device upgraders, but the debut is certainly convenient.