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Google drops huge functional update for eligible Pixel models with 77 bug fixes and improvements

By Alan Friedman

Published: Dec 05, 2022, 9:23 PM

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Google drops huge functional update for eligible Pixel models with 77 bug fixes and improvements

Besides the Quarterly Pixel Feature Drop (which was extremely disappointing as a Pixel 6 Pro owner), Google sent out a functional update for eligible Pixel models that exterminated a massive number of bugs and included a large number of improvements. The total number of bug fixes and performance improvements added up to a whopping 77. With all of these issues getting resolved with today's update, you should notice an improvement in the performance of your Pixel device.

Some of the fixes, such as the one that will stop bugs from preventing "tap to wake" from working, were sorely needed. Other ones that jump off the page include one that delivers "General improvements for charging, battery usage or thermal performance in certain conditions" to the Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, and Pixel 7 Pro. Another fix exterminates a bug on the Pixel 6 series that would prevent the fingerprint sensor from detecting a touch input while the always-on display is active.

Check out the 77 bug exterminations and improvements Google sent out today for eligible Pixel models

Another fix that Pixel 6 series users are happy to see is one that gets rid of a bug that prevented Adaptive brightness from activating in certain conditions. And all Pixel users from the Pixel 6 line to the Pixel 7 line were no doubt glad to see "General improvements for system stability and performance in certain conditions" and "General improvements to optimize device thermal performance in certain conditions or use cases."

The complete list is as follows:

Apps

Fix for issue causing text input to certain fields in the Phone app to display in a darker color
Fix for issue occasionally causing playback errors when seeking through video content in certain apps
Fix for issue occasionally preventing text messages from restoring from cloud backups during device setup
General improvements for background performance in certain Google apps

Audio

General improvements for USB audio support for various cables or accessories-Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro
General improvements to support various audio codecs with certain devices or accessories-Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro

Battery & Charging

Battery usage in Settings displays information since last full charge (up to 7 days)
Fix for issue occasionally causing device to power off while Battery Share is active-Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro
Fix for issue occasionally causing higher battery usage during media playback with certain apps-Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro
Fix for issue occasionally preventing Adaptive charging from working in certain conditions-Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro
Fix for issue occasionally preventing wireless charging from working with certain accessories-Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro
General improvements for charging, battery usage or thermal performance in certain conditions-Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro

Biometrics

Fix for issue occasionally causing audio to skip when played over certain Bluetooth devices or accessories-Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro
Fix for issue occasionally delaying when the fingerprint icon is displayed on the lock screen-Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro
Fix for issue occasionally preventing fingerprint sensor from detecting touch while always-on display is active-Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a
Fix for issue where fingerprint enrollment may occasionally display visual glitches in certain conditions-Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro
Improvements for face unlock lock screen helper text shown in certain conditions-Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro

Bluetooth

Fix for issue causing music playback to continue without audible sound after ending a call while using certain Bluetooth accessories-Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro
Fix for issue occasionally causing audio to skip when played over certain Bluetooth devices or accessories-Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro
Fix for issue occasionally preventing audio switching between connected Bluetooth devices in certain conditions
Fix for issue occasionally preventing Bluetooth Low Energy devices from displaying a device name during pairing
Fix for issue occasionally preventing connection to car head units using older Bluetooth versions
Fix for issue occasionally preventing discovery of certain Bluetooth devices or accessories
Fix for issue occasionally preventing previously paired Bluetooth devices from reconnecting
General improvements for Bluetooth stability and performance in certain conditions

Camera

Fix for issue occasionally causing Camera app to crash while zoomed in or switching modes-Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro
Fix for issue occasionally causing viewfinder preview to display a blank screen-Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro
Fix for issue where video that is recorded while switching between camera modes occasionally shows gaps in playback-Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro
General improvements for camera stability and performance in certain conditions

Display & Graphics

Fix for issue occasionally causing screen to flicker when waking from always-on display
Fix for issue occasionally causing visual artifacts or glitches while using certain apps or games-Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro

Framework

Fix for issue occasionally causing notifications to display in a different color theme from the system
Fix for issue occasionally causing the wrong character to display after a new line in certain apps or UI elements
Fix for issue occasionally causing Work Profile app notifications to appear even if Work Profile is paused
Fix for issue occasionally preventing certain apps to rotate to landscape orientation
Fix for issue occasionally preventing keyboard from being dismissed while using certain apps

Sensors

Fix for issue occasionally preventing “tap to wake” or “lift to wake” from working in certain conditions-Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro
Fix for issue occasionally preventing Adaptive brightness from activating in certain conditions
Fix for issue occasionally preventing Quick Tap from triggering app or system shortcuts in certain conditions
Fix to improve Adaptive brightness transitions during phone calls in certain conditions-Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro
General improvements for proximity sensor performance under certain lighting conditions-Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro

System

General improvements for system stability and performance in certain conditions
General improvements to optimize device thermal performance in certain conditions or use cases-Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro

Telephony

Fix for issue causing reduced network or call stability under certain conditions-Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro
Fix for issue occasionally preventing network SIM cards from activating in certain conditions-Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a
General improvements for network connection stability and performance in certain conditions
General improvements for network connectivity after toggling airplane mode off
General improvements for switching between 3G to 4G on certain carrier networks
General improvements for VPN connection stability and performance on mobile networks under certain conditions
General improvements for Wi-Fi calling stability and performance for certain carriers or networks
Improve dual SIM network connectivity in certain conditions-Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a
Improve RCS messaging stability under certain conditions-Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro

Touch

General improvements for touch response and performance in certain conditions-Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro

User Interface

Change for home screen search bar behavior to open the Google app when tapping the G logo
Fix for issue occasionally causing “Pause work apps” button display over app drawer or in the wrong position
Fix for issue occasionally causing certain Settings toggles to appear disabled, or set to the wrong state
Fix for issue occasionally causing device color theme to change unexpectedly
Fix for issue occasionally causing home screen app icons to appear duplicated after adjusting grid size
Fix for issue occasionally causing home screen widgets or icons to appear small or scaled down in certain conditions
Fix for issue occasionally causing media player controls to appear invisible or hidden in notification shade
Fix for issue occasionally causing notification overflow dot to overlay app icons on lock screen
Fix for issue occasionally causing notifications to disappear or appear invisible in notification shade
Fix for issue occasionally causing screenshot captures to fail in certain conditions
Fix for issue occasionally causing suggested apps in Search to overlap or display over results
Fix for issue occasionally causing text to appear incorrectly cutoff or truncated at different font sizes
Fix for issue occasionally causing UI to reset after adjusting display resolution
Fix for issue occasionally causing wallpaper to appear black or empty in certain conditions
Fix for issue occasionally enabling touch interaction during the lock screen transition after screen is turned off
Fix for issue occasionally preventing media player album art from updating when content changes
Fix for issue occasionally preventing media player controls from displaying on lock screen
Fix for issue occasionally preventing screen to appear blank or frozen after launching certain apps
Fix for issue where incoming notifications would occasionally display over others listed in the notification shade
Fix to improve responsiveness of At A Glance home and lock screen widget for certain conditions or use cases
Fix to improve spacing for certain UI modals in device setup and Settings
General improvements for performance in certain UI transitions and animations

Wi-Fi

Fix for issue occasionally preventing hotspot from turning on in certain conditions-Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro
General improvements for Wi-Fi network connection stability & performance in certain conditions-Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro

To install the update, go to Settings > System > System update.

Here's something else that you should know. If your are a member of the Android 13 QPR1 Beta program, once you install the new update, you can exit the Beta program without having to wipe your memory. Go to www.google.com/android/beta or click on this link. Tap on the pill-shape button that says "View your eligible devices" and you'll be taken to an image of your Pixel. Underneath that image, you'll see a button to opt-out. Press that to exit the Beta program.

View Full Bio

Alan, an ardent smartphone enthusiast and a veteran writer at PhoneArena since 2009, has witnessed and chronicled the transformative years of mobile technology. Owning iconic phones from the original iPhone to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, he has seen smartphones evolve into a global phenomenon. Beyond smartphones, Alan has covered the emergence of tablets, smartwatches, and smart speakers.