January update exterminates several Pixel bugs

Since yesterday was the observation of the New Year's Day holiday in some countries, including the U.S., Google decided to delay the release of the monthly security and functional updates for January. Normally dropped on the first Monday of every month, the update is being disseminated today to those with the Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a(5G), Pixel 5, Pixel 5a, Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, and Pixel 7 Pro. With the last Quarterly Feature Drop about a month in the rearview mirror, it's slim pickings on the functional update side which usually deals with bugs.

The Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 series are getting support for Spatial audio with today's update. This allows users of those models listening to certain content via the Pixel Buds Pro to hear sounds and identify whether they came from. With Spatial audio, sound seems to come from in front of users, behind them, and to the left or the right of them. A future update expected to roll out in weeks will add Spatial audio with head tracking to the true wireless earbuds. Thanks to the update, the fingerprint scanners on the Pixel 6a and Pixel 7a should perform better, recognizing users more accurately with better responses under certain conditions.

The update exterminates a bug that prevented devices using Bluetooth Low Energy from pairing and reconnecting on the compatible Pixel models. Another bug exterminated on all compatible Pixel models prevented audio from playing over certain devices under certain conditions. And the Pixel 7 line received a functional update to kill a bug that caused zoomed-in photos to look corrupted or distorted.

The update also fixed the display on the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro as it removed a bug that prevented the screen from waking. And all compatible Pixels will be rid of an issue that kept the user interface in landscape orientation even though the phone was held in portrait mode.

To download and install the update, go to Settings > System > System update. The next update should arrive on Monday, February 6th.