April 2024 security update available for Google Pixel smartphones

Google has started releasing the April security update for its Pixel smartphones. This update includes 28 general security patches for Android and 25 that are exclusive to Google Pixel smartphones. As usual, the release is phased and it may take some time for everyone to get the new software.

Here's What's New About It

The security update with build number AP1A.240405.002 (and . A1 build version for Pixel Fold) is available for Pixel 5a 5G and newer devices. The 25 patches that are specific to Pixel devices range from moderate to critical. Google said two of them "may be subject to limited, targeted exploitation." The first concerns the Pixel bootloader and the second concerns the Pixel firmware.

One of the bug fixes concerns the Pixel 5a 5G. The phone had a bug that caused a black screen to appear when unlocking the device in some situations. The new update fixes this.

The new firmware fixes an exposure bug that was seen in the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro smartphones. If you have seen black artefacts appearing in the viewfinder of the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, this should now be fixed. These artefacts were appearing when switching from photo to video mode at the standard 1x magnification. Also fixed is an issue where users were unable to re-expose an image after tapping anywhere in the viewfinder.

Google has also made improvements to the camera's stability when changing zoom levels. These improvements are being rolled out to a slew of devices. The list includes the Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 7a, Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro, and Pixel Fold.

You can check if your Pixel phone has the April 2024 update installed on it by going to Settings > System Update > Software.

Source: Google