Google today released its monthly security update for Pixel and Nexus devices. The security patch is rolling out over-the-air and can also be downloaded directly if you’re not one for waiting. In addition to bolstering the security of its devices, Android Police points out that Google included a pretty important Pixel software fix in this update: a nasty bug that has resulted in some Pixel smartphones randomly freezing has supposedly been fixed. Well, hopefully.
A post on Google’s product forums confirms that the fix “should address many of the freezing issues that have been reported.” Count me as one of the unlucky ones; my Pixel has been completely locking up at unpredictable times — at least once or twice a day — for months. And it rarely recovers or snaps out of it, so I usually have to hold down the power button for a hard reset whenever the freezes occur. (Yes, the Pixel’s camera is so good that it makes putting up with this stuff worth it.) Not all Pixel devices exhibit the issue. My colleague Vlad hasn’t encountered it at all, for example.
I’m installing the OTA right now, so I’m trying to be optimistic that the freezing will vanish for good. But the company warns that “freezing and general device performance issues can be caused my many different things” so Google is encouraging users to report back on whether it truly alleviates the problem.
Now if only Google could improve the Pixel’s Bluetooth performance...