It’s December and of course that means that Google has released a new security update for Android, and for Pixel 3 owners there’s the bonus of having some niggling problems finally fixed.
Google is rolling out the December Security fix for Android, with both factory image and OTA files ready to be downloaded from their respective Google Devices software pages. Though it’s only the 4th of December, there are patches for both the 1st and 5th of December, with supported Pixel/Nexus devices destined to receive the
The fixes in the 1st December Android Security update include the usual fixes for Framework, System and Kernel, while the 5th December update includes fixes for HTC and Qualcomm components as well as for Kernel and System. Google has listed several specific fixes for the Pixel, Pixel 2 and Pixel 3 in their 5th December release including for improved memory management and camera capture performance – hopefully addressing two fairly major bug bears of the Pixel 3.
The full list of Pixel improvements:
| References | Category | Improvements | Devices |
|---|---|---|---|
| A-117522738 | Performance | Improved memory performance in certain circumstances | Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL, Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL |
| A-110969183 | Camera | Improved camera capture performance | Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL, Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL |
| A-111008450 | Pixel Stand | Improved notification visibility when using Pixel Stand | Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL |
| A-112376366 | Android Auto | Improved Android Auto compatibility | Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL, Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL |
| A-115666282 | Camera | Adjusted autofocus behavior | Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL |
| A-115624433 | Pixel Stand | Improved hotword performance when using Pixel Stand | Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL |
| A-116758282 | Display | Improved Always On Display triggering | Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL |
| A-111964925 | Audio | Improved USB-C Audio accessory detection | Pixel 3 XL |
| A-111716107 | Bluetooth | Adjusted volume behavior when toggling Bluetooth | Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL, Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL |
| A-111159723 | Android Auto | Improved audio performance for when using Android Auto in certain vehicles | Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL |
| A-112228430 | Media | Improved contouring on HDR color on certain media apps | Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL |
| A-113151604 | Camera | Improved camera shutter performance | Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL |
| A-111277984 | Performance | Improve unlocking performance when using Bluetooth | Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL, Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL |
The Factory Images for the Pixel 2 and Pixel 3 based on Android 9 are ready for download, as are the Android 8.1 based images for the Pixel C, Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P – surprising Nexus 5X and 6P owners who should have received their last security update last month. What isn’t available for the second month in a row are the Pixel and Pixel XL images, but hopefully they’ll be released faster than last month.
- Pixel 3/Pixel 3 XL – 9.0.0 (PQ1A.181205.006, Dec 2018)
- Pixel 2/Pixel 2 XL – 9.0.0 (PQ1A.181205.002, Dec 2018)
- Pixel /Pixel XL – N/A
- Pixel C, Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P – 8.1.0 (OPM8.181205.001, Dec 2018)
OTA files should be rolling out now, so try hitting the ‘Check for Update’ button in the Settings menu to see if it’s available for you.
