The Pixel 3a was able to remain in action a bit longer than the Pixel 3 because it was released half a cycle later. However, not too long ago, Google issued the last update to that phone, marking the end of its life cycle.
But, Google came in with a surprise update
Google just dropped the latest June 2022 update to eligible Pixel phones. It brought the latest feature drop along with the latest security patch. The Pixel 3a was not on the list to get that update, which is why it’s a surprise that it got an update. If you own a Pixel 3a, don’t get your hopes up for the latest feature drop. You’re not getting any new features. Actually, you’re not even getting any security reinforcements. This update has the build number SP2A.220505.006, and it didn’t bring anything more than some minor bug fixes it seems. A similar thing happened with the Pixel 3. It received an update after its life cycle was up. That one, however, was because of a noticeable bug in the software. For the Pixel 3a, there weren’t any major reports of issues in the software. It’s understandable that there were no new features, but it does seem odd that Google didn’t include any vulnerability fixes along with the update. It weighed in at 10MB, so the bug fixes probably weren’t significant. The company could have added in some security fixes to help extend the life just a bit longer.
The Pixel 6a is coming soon
The Pixel 3a will still be a good phone to use for a bit longer, but if you’re in the market for a new Pixel phone at a lower price, you might want to consider the Pixel 6a. This phone is similar to the Pixel 6 in terms of the design. What’s significant about this phone is that it uses the same Tensor Chip that’s in the Pixel 6. This phone is going to launch in July along with the new Pixel Buds Pro. If you’re interested, it will cost $449 when it launches.
