There was a time when major Android updates, even for smaller releases, were as grand and exciting as their flagship hardware release counterparts. Even worse, with Google and Android OEMs relentlessly shoving saturated AI down everyone’s throats, updates have become even less inspiring. But they have stopped being excitingCloseI bought my Google Pixel 9 Pro XL for its fantastic camera and clean software. It should have prioritized foundational system improvements in core Android updates that benefit every user, not just the latest Pixel models or the most capable processors. It’s now clear that Google has been using these new AI features as leverage to force hardware upgrades.