My old Pixel continues to receive AI features that Apple requires a newer iPhone to access.

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      Google still boasts some exclusive features, but its practice of retroactively adding Gemini tools highlights Apple’s new 12GB hardware limitation as rather frugal.

      Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

      My Pixel 8a was released in 2024 as a midrange phone priced at $499, offering seven years of software support—a commitment not typically expected from such devices. Now positioned behind the Pixel 9a and Pixel 10a, Google continues to enhance it through Pixel Drops. The seven-year update assurance has proven to be more than just basic security patches and a courteous mention on a support page.

      In contrast, Apple's recent AI restrictions seem quite generous. The standard iPhone 17 launched at $799 and remains part of Apple's current offerings, yet it is unable to run the latest on-device AI model. Being newly launched does not equate to being sufficiently advanced.

      Apple

      Apple has begun to include fine print in its software support terms.

      There are now various tiers of eligibility lurking within the same iOS version. An older iPhone can get iOS 27 but may not qualify for Apple Intelligence. The iPhone 15 Pro or models from the iPhone 16 generation onward can access the broader AI functionalities, while Apple’s top on-device model further refines the eligible devices.

      This model requires at least 12GB of RAM, restricting it to the iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. This enables improved control over Siri's tone and pacing, alongside enhanced system-wide dictation capabilities. The standard iPhone 17, with 8GB of RAM, lacks features that are present in the $999 iPhone Air and the $1,099 iPhone 17 Pro.

      Apple

      The technical justification does not alter the customer experience. Apple has established another premium tier within the same generation of phones.

      Google has been more flexible in its approach.

      Google has also set its own hardware limits. Gemini Nano was introduced on the Pixel 8 Pro in December 2023, excluding the standard Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a from the initial launch.

      Google

      By June 2024, Google extended Gemini Nano to the less expensive models via a developer option. This update also enabled on-device Recorder summaries, providing my Pixel 8a with an AI feature that initially appeared on Google’s premium model.

      The rollout was not particularly smooth. By placing the setting in developer options, the expansion seemed more like an experiment than a generous offer. However, Google made the feature functional on lower-priced devices only six months later. Apple’s new RAM requirements seem less inevitable now that another manufacturer has demonstrated that AI boundaries can be flexible.

      Google still has its own limitations.

      Some of Google's latest features are confined to Pixel 10 hardware, while others are contingent on aspects like country, language, subscriptions, or cloud access. Google can also deploy features more widely since much of the processing occurs on its servers. In contrast, Apple’s larger local models impose different hardware requirements.

      A long update commitment feels incomplete when major features do not accompany the operating system. As AI integration becomes increasingly significant on both Android and iOS, eligibility criteria will likely impact a phone's functional lifespan more than the version number hidden in its settings.

      My Pixel 8a will eventually miss out on newer Google features. As it stands now, it still feels like a device that Google is actively developing for, rather than one that is merely being maintained until the hint is taken. An operating system update can breathe new life into an old phone, but what truly matters is whether it remains included in future developments or is silently phased out.

      Paulo Vargas is an English major turned reporter turned technical writer, with a career that has consistently circled back to...

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