Google’s massive October {hardware} occasion happened right now, the place the corporate totally revealed the Pixel 7 collection and Pixel Watch. Google additionally highlighted the way it takes sustainability and the surroundings critically… however does it actually?
It’s seemingly necessary for every main tech occasion lately to incorporate a bit with an explainer about how an organization’s merchandise are fabricated from recycled supplies, or is inbuilt factories utilizing renewable vitality, or another indication that the corporate is considering its influence on the Earth. At present’s occasion was no totally different, with a number of traces about “being considerate about environmental influence at each step.” Google says it’s nonetheless on monitor for a web zero carbon footprint for its whole firm by 2030 (as introduced in 2020), all its {hardware} merchandise use some quantity of recycled supplies, and the Pixel 7 collection will obtain 5 years of safety updates.
To be clear, all of that may be a good factor. Although the compulsory surroundings speech would possibly begin to appear repetitive when you watch sufficient tech occasions, it’s nice that there’s adequate public stress on massive firms to scale back their environmental influence. That’s particularly vital within the expertise {industry}, the place the manufacturing course of usually entails the damaging processing of uncommon earth metals and loads of carbon monoxide within the ambiance from factories and transport.
Nonetheless, there’s a diploma of conflicting messaging with Google’s merchandise round sustainability that isn’t acceptable.
5 (Or Three) Years Isn’t Sufficient
The Pixel 7 collection is assured to obtain 5 years of safety patches, however main Android updates will finish after three years, like each different latest Pixel telephone. Which means any Pixel 7 system, regardless of its bodily situation, will steadily turn out to be extra unsafe to make use of beginning round October 2027. Most individuals don’t hold their telephones past two or three years, however that timer doesn’t begin if you purchase the telephone, it begins proper now. When you purchase it used or refurbished in a yr or two, it has a a lot shorter usable lifespan.
Google didn’t point out the distinction between OS updates and safety updates in its presentation, and even the complete specs web page doesn’t point out how lengthy the telephone will obtain main OS updates — we needed to affirm that element with a Google consultant. Worse nonetheless, the presentation was discussing Pixel Characteristic Drops (that are OS updates that don’t go previous three years), then rapidly switched to speaking about 5 years of safety updates, whereas leaving “Pixel Characteristic Drops” on display screen. When you have been watching the occasion and never listening carefully, you would possibly assume the Characteristic Drops lasted 5 years, too.
That’s an issue for a lot of causes. Essentially the most direct influence is on the resale worth of the telephone, which is affected by how a lot software program assist is left, amongst many different components. Google is shortchanging its consumers by not supporting its telephones for an extended interval, and the technique conflicts with the corporate’s messaging concerning the surroundings. One of the simplest ways to enhance sustainability is supporting the telephone for so long as doable, as a result of that retains the system out of landfills.
The Pixel 7 collection can also be being introduced proper on the heels of Google releasing the ultimate replace for the Pixel 4 and 4 XL, which have been solely launched in 2019. There’s no good excuse for such a brief lifespan — the iPhone 11 was launched across the similar time, and Apple remains to be supporting the iPhone 8 and X from 2017.
The Proprietary Downside
Google coated the Pixel Watch intimately throughout the identical occasion, which additionally had a component that contrasted with the corporate’s promise of environmental sustainability. The watch makes use of proprietary watchbands, moderately than the industry-standardized bands utilized by the Galaxy Watch collection, most Fossil Group watches, Mobvioi’s TicWatch lineup, many different smartwatches, and most conventional watches.
Google says the bands for the Pixel Watch are simpler to swap than conventional bands (although the quick-release mechanism on most bands isn’t tough), and the bands are flush with the watch. The Apple Watch and most Fitbit merchandise use proprietary bands for a similar causes, but when Google is critical about sustainability, it’s the unsuitable transfer.
Google
Bands for the Pixel Watch will solely work with that one watch, which is dangerous for a similar motive that the expertise {industry} has finished away with proprietary chargers — they often go within the trash together with the system they have been made for. We don’t even know but if there shall be extra Pixel Watches, and whether or not they are going to be appropriate with present bands.
Pixel units have for much longer software program assist than most different Android units, and Google has been enhancing the restore course of and components availability for its telephones. Nonetheless, it’s irritating to see the corporate reward itself for environmental sustainability, whereas nonetheless contributing to wasteful product choices like restricted updates and proprietary equipment. Google — and almost each different tech firm, for that matter — must do higher.
