What you need to know
- Google is issuing a new update for the Pixel 6 series.
- The update addresses an issue with GPS failing in certain conditions.
- This is exclusive to the Pixel 6 series and retains the July security level.
- The August Pixel Update will begin rolling out “in the coming weeks.”
If you own a Pixel 6 smartphone, chances are you have an update ready for you. On Thursday, Google announced that it was issuing a new update for its latest devices, which includes a minor fix.
According to Google’s blog post, the update only includes a “Fix for GPS location failure under certain conditions.” It’s also exclusive to the Pixel 6 series, meaning other Pixel smartphones won’t be getting it.
The company says the update should start rolling out today, August 4, and continue over the next week, depending on your carrier.
From the looks of it, this appears to be the same update Verizon posted to its Pixel 6/Pro support pages earlier this week. You can find the build numbers for different carriers and regions below:
AT&T, T-Mobile (US):
Pixel 6/Pro: SQ3A.220705.004
Pixel 6a: SD2A.220601.002.B1
Verizon (US):
Pixel 6/Pro: SQ3A.220705.003.A3
Pixel 6a: SD2A.220601.004.B2
Global (Unlocked):
Pixel 6/Pro: SQ3A.220705.004
Pixel 6a: SD2A.220601.003.B1
EMEA (DE, ES, FR, IE, IT, UK):
Pixel 6/Pro: SQ3A.220705.001.B2
Pixel 6a: SD2A.220601.003.B1
Softbank (JP):
Pixel 6/Pro: SQ3A.220705.004.A1
Pixel 6a: SD2A.220601.001.B1
Meanwhile, for those of you wondering where the August update is, Google ensures that it will arrive “in the coming weeks.” That’s quite the delay, considering Google normally pushes new monthly updates closer to the start of a month (with some exceptions for the Pixel 6 series). However, it seems this new fix may have gotten in the way of things, and for some reason, Google had to get this update out before the August patch.
The new Pixel 6a is also in the midst of its June update, so hopefully, the August patch will bring it up to speed with other Pixel smartphones.
There’s also reason to believe Google might also release the stable version of Android 13 as soon as September, ahead of the upcoming Pixel 7 devices, meaning Pixel owners may have more to look forward to over the next month or so besides the August update. We’ll be keeping our fingers crossed.
The Pixel 6a is a fantastic mid-range smartphone with a powerful chipset, great design, and impressive cameras. If you’re looking for an affordable smartphone with great software support, look no further.
