Google is rolling out the January security patch to supported Pixel phones
Google may not have published its security patch at its usual date — the first Monday of the month — due to that day being New Year’s Day observed, but the company is right back on track just a short time after. As such, the company has released the January 2023 security patch, which is starting to roll out to the latest Pixel phones as we speak, including theGoogle Pixel 7 Proand its smaller sibling.
Considering we’re just one month away from theDecember Pixel Feature Drop, today’s update is relatively minor. Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 series devices finally gain support for spatial audio, while a number of fixes for biometrics, Bluetooth, and more are included. Here’s the full list ofpatch notes shared by Googlefor today’s software release:
Biometrics
Display & Graphics
User Interface
*[1] Included on Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro
*[2] Included on Pixel 6a, Pixel 7
*[3] Included on Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro
you could get the January 2023 security patch on any Pixel phone newer than the Pixel 4, which got itslast guaranteed update in October 2022. The same fate is going to reach the Pixel 4a soon, which is only guaranteed to receive updates until August 2023. The Pixel 4a is still going strong for the first half of the year, though we’re not certain if it will receive Android 14.
To install the update, simply open your system settings, scroll down to theSystementry and tap it, and look for theSystem updateoption. If you prefer to take the fast route and flash the update, you’re able to get both thefactory imagesand theOTA filesover at Google’s website. Pixel 7 and 7 Pro users on Telstra have a separate download link, so make sure to grab the correct file.
If you feel more adventurous than that, you can alsojoin the Android 13 QPR2 Beta program. This will give you access to the upcoming March Feature Drop, though there aren’t too many new features to be spotted just yet.
UPDATE: 2023/01/03 16:24 EST BY WILL SATTELBERG
Added patch notes
This article has been updated with Google’s patch notes for the January 2023 security update.
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