Google has been true to it’s tradition of releasing the monthly Security Update on the First Monday of the Month, Google released the Update on Feb the 3.
All the Pixel phone from Pixel 2 to Pixel 4 including Pixel 3a are Supported by this Update, and their XL varients, of course. Pixel and Pixel XL will receive security updates no more as Google Discontinued the support from December 2019 onwards.
The Update has been delivered to all the Pixel phones via O.T.A(Over The Air) and close behind is the Essential Phone. All the other OEMs will publish their updates after tweaking and re- modelling as their wish and needs, which will take time.
The update version in Pixel 2, 3 , 3a and their XL varients after the update is QQ1A.200205.002. For Pixel 4 and 4XL, it is QQ1B.200205.002(Global), QQ1C.200205.002(Select JP&TW carriers), QQ1D.200205.002(JP(NTT Docomo)). Depending on your country, the version numbers may or may not change.
For my Pixel 2, the update was fairly small at 8.9 MB.
The Update Includes:
- Fix for some devices stuck during boot. For Pixel 4 and 4 XL.
- Fix for stuck preview while recording video.For Pixel 4 and 4 XL.
- Fix for overexposure while recording video in certain scenarios.For Pixel 4 and 4 XL.
- Fix for broken NFC functionality with certain apps.For Pixel 4 and 4 XL.
- Fix for UI crash while using Assistant.For Pixel 4 and 4 XL.
The Update is also carrying various Security patches for numerous components of the devices. There are 7 Framework patches, all of High Severity(4 of which are targeted towards Android 8.0,8.1,9 while all of them are targeted towards Android 10). There are 7 System patches which include 4 High severity, 1 Moderate severity and 2 Critical Severity patches(4 of which are targeted towards Android 8.0,8.1,9 and 2 are specifically targeted towards Android 10 and one is targeted only towards Android 9).
The update breaks down as follows. There are 2 kernel components update, both of High Severity. There are 6 Qualcomm components patches, all of which are High Severity and 4 patches of High severity for Qualcomm closed-source components.
There appears to be no Google Play System Updates this Month.
The update is rolling out as of Feb 3, and if your Pixel phone has not yet received the update, sit back and relax, it will be coming soon. And if you can’t wait at all and want the update right now, head over here for OTA Images, and here for Factory Images.
Google started the Feature Drop for Pixel phones back in December 2019. Jan 2020 update had Live Caption included for Pixel 2 devices with the Device Personalization Services update. Last time, the Device Personalization Services update came after the Security patch release. So, as per speculation, the New Gen Assistant will be dropped to Pixel 2 and 2 XL.
Until that happens, Fingers Crossed…
THE WHISTLING WIND 