Trusted Reviews is supported by its audience. If you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission.Learn more.
Google Pixel 6 mystery update may fix fingerprint sensor issue
In This Article
Google has issued a mysterious update for thePixel 6andPixel 6 Pro, which seems to be intended to fix the well-documented fingerprint sensor issue.
The big G only rolled out its latest security update for its latest flagship phones at the end of October, and the next is due in December, so this half-way point update is more than a little unexpected.
Even more mysteriously, Google has supplied no explanation or change log for this latest Pixel 6 update. The fact that the build number has bumped up a single digit from SD1A.210817.036 to SD1A.210817.037 suggests that it’s a minor tweak.
Mercifully, some clarification appears to have arrived courtesy ofVerizon. According to the major US mobile network, this stealthy Pixel 6 update “improves the performance of your device’s fingerprint sensor.”
This relates to a much complained about issue with the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. Since launch, early adopters have reported that the phones unlock particularly slowly using the provided biometric authentication system.
However, Googleinitially blamed“enhanced security algorithms” for the perceived sluggishness, which suggested that a fix or improvement may not be forthcoming. This quiet update, along with Verizon’s clarification, suggests that there was something to be done about it after all.
While they’ve been generally well received (including by us), the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro haven’t been without their issues since launch. Besides the aforementioned fingerprint sensor issue, there’s also a display flicker problem when the phone is in a powered down state.
Google has alreadyacknowledged that latter issue, and has promised to fix it with a software update in December.
You might like…
Jon is a seasoned freelance writer who started covering games and apps in 2007 before expanding into smartphones and consumer tech, dabbling in lifestyle and media coverage along the way. Besides bein…
Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.
Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Why trust our journalism?
Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.
Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
