US DoD approved several Google Pixel devices for US military and other agencies

Google announced that more than a dozen Pixel devices have received a seal of trust from the US DoD, making them fit for military usage.

Google announced that more than a dozen Pixel devices secured a place in the Department of Defense Information Network (DoDIN) Approved Products List (APL). These devices have been vetted for secure communications and mission-critical use by personnel and federal agencies under the DoD, including the US military.

APL is like a shopping list of technologies approved for use on the US DoD's network. Google previously had military-approved Pixel devices categorized as "Multifunction Mobile Device (MMD)," including the Pixel 6 series, Pixel 7 series, and the older Pixel 5a 5G, which ran older versions of Android software.

Here are the new names on the Approved Products List running Android 15:

Pixel 9 Pro XL, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9, Pixel 9a
Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 8, Pixel 8a
Pixel Tablet
Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 7, Pixel 7a
Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6, Pixel 6a
Pixel Fold, Pixel 9 Pro Fold

These Pixel devices were approved and added to the DoD's list last month. In addition to Google, the list includes Android-powered smartphones, tablets, and other devices from manufacturers such as Samsung and Zebra.

However, it's worth noting that the DoDIN APL program was officially sunset on September 30, 2025, and all scheduled device testing for the list will be completed by December 31, 2025. The DoD will switch to a newer program for device procurement and approval moving forward; meanwhile, its current APL database will be maintained for some time.

"Attaining DoDIN APL certification is just one example of why Pixel’s seamless Google Cloud integration and robust security features make it a strong choice for public sector applications," Google said. It added that the Pixel 9 phones "are the highest rated for security features," making them suitable for federal usage, improving field productivity and collaboration.

The search giant is putting out Pixel devices, on-device AI, and its cloud-based AI infrastructure in other areas of the public sector, for instance, through a partnership with MTA in New York to pilot TrackInspect. It's an AI-powered system that uses Pixel phones to detect potential defects on the subway track. Google noted that the system identified about 92% of the defect locations found by human inspectors.