What you should know
- Google has released the first update of the year for eligible Pixel handsets, including the Pixel 5a, Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 7a, Pixel Fold, Pixel Tablet, Pixel 8, and Pixel 8 Pro.
- The January 2024 update includes bug fixes and improvements for Pixel users, including an update to the camera app on all eligible Pixel handsets that contains a fix to stop cameras from crashing under certain conditions.
- The update also fixes an issue causing flashing black screens to appear when playing video on the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, and another issue that prevented Pixel Tablet users from exiting SetupWizard in certain conditions.
- The software versions being released include GlobalPixel 5a (5G): UQ1A.240105.002, Pixel 6: UQ1A.240105.002, Pixel 6 Pro: UQ1A.240105.002, Pixel 6a: UQ1A.240105.002, Pixel 7: UQ1A.240105.004, Pixel 7 Pro: UQ1A.240105.004, Pixel 7a: UQ1A.240105.004, Pixel Tablet: UQ1A.240105.002, Pixel Fold: UQ1A.240105.004, Pixel 8: UQ1A.240105.004, Pixel 8 Pro: UQ1A.240105.004.
Full Story
So, here’s the thing. Google might have slipped back into its old habit. You know, the one where they push out their monthly updates on the first Monday of every month? But, this Monday was a holiday – New Year’s Day, to be exact. So, Google decided to wait until today to release the first update of the year.
This update is for eligible Pixel handsets. And by “eligible,” we mean the Pixel 5a, Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 7a, Pixel Fold, Pixel Tablet, Pixel 8, and Pixel 8 Pro. Quite the list, huh?
Google’s official word on this is that “the January 2024 update includes bug fixes and improvements for Pixel users.” The list of fixes includes an update to the camera app on all eligible Pixel handsets. Yes, that includes the Pixel Fold. This update is supposed to stop cameras on these Pixel devices from crashing under certain conditions.
Today’s update also addresses a pesky issue with the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. Apparently, these devices had a tendency to display flashing black screens when playing videos. Annoying, right?
But wait, there’s more. The update also tackles three issues related to the User Interface. One fix, specifically for the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, deals with that flashing black screen issue we mentioned earlier. Another fix, exclusive to Pixel Tablet users, resolves an issue that prevented them from exiting SetupWizard under certain conditions. And lastly, Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro, and Pixel Fold users received a fix for a bug that turned the home screen wallpaper black under certain conditions.
The update also includes security patch levels 2024-01-01 and 2024-01-05. To install the update, Pixel users should navigate to Settings > System > System Update.
Now, let’s talk software versions. The versions being released include a whole bunch of alphanumeric codes that probably don’t mean much to most of us. But for those who care, here they are:
Global
Pixel 5a (5G): UQ1A.240105.002
Pixel 6: UQ1A.240105.002
Pixel 6 Pro: UQ1A.240105.002
Pixel 6a: UQ1A.240105.002
Pixel 7: UQ1A.240105.004
Pixel 7 Pro: UQ1A.240105.004
Pixel 7a: UQ1A.240105.004
Pixel Tablet: UQ1A.240105.002
Pixel Fold: UQ1A.240105.004
Pixel 8: UQ1A.240105.004
Pixel 8 Pro: UQ1A.240105.004
Verizon
Pixel 7: UQ1A.240105.004.A1
Pixel 7 Pro: UQ1A.240105.004.A1
Pixel 7a: UQ1A.240105.004.A1
Pixel Fold: UQ1A.240105.004.A1
Pixel 8: UQ1A.240105.004.A1
Pixel 8 Pro: UQ1A.240105.004.A1
This small January update follows the December Pixel Feature Drop aka Android 14 QPR1 (Quarterly Platform Release). Looking ahead, the next Pixel 14 update is expected on Monday, February 5th. After that, we should see another huge Pixel Feature Drop (Android 14 QPR2) released in March, possibly on March 4th. So, mark your calendars, folks!
