November Pixel Update Will Fix Annoying Oreo Problem

The next Google Pixel update probably won’t be Android 8.1 Oreo, but it will come with a crucial bug fix for an annoying Android Oreo issue.

Google’s confirmed an Android 8.1 Oreo update for Pixel devices and it plans to release a beta in the “coming weeks.” The company is also hard at work on another update to the Pixel, a November security update that will apparently bring more than patches.

Pixel and Pixel XL users dealing with SMS issues should be delighted to hear that Google’s planning to issue a fix in its upcoming November update. The company recently confirmed its plans on its product forums.

Google’s Pixel Team hasn’t confirmed a specific release date, but says the patch will start rolling out soon. Google’s security updates typically roll out early in the month, but they can take a few days to reach every Pixel and Nexus device around the world.

Since the release of Android 8.0 Oreo, Pixel and Pixel XL users have been complaining about an annoying SMS bug that prevented messages from appearing on their device.

Google says the issue was introduced in the release of Android Oreo and that it affects SMS delivery “for a subset of Pixel (not Pixel 2) users.”

It also notes that it only impacted a small number of Pixel carriers.

Nothing is confirmed, but it looks like Google’s next release for Pixel and Nexus devices will be the November security update and not the Android 8.1 Oreo (MR1) release it confirmed earlier this month.

The company is still mum about its plans for Android 8.1 though the update is expected to come with a sizable list of bug fixes and, if we’re lucky, new features.

Google’s Android 7.1 update, also known as MR1, delivered a long list of improvements and several new features including App Shortcuts, “Image Keyboard Support”, and support for circular icons.

Android 8.1 will roll out to the Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL, Pixel XL, and Pixel. We also expect it to roll out for the company’s Nexus line of devices which includes the Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P.

The Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P might not get Android P, but Google says it plans to push security patches to the Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X through November 2018. This means they should get a full year of Android Oreo builds.

Google’s security updates typically roll out on the first Monday of the month so Pixel and Nexus users should keep an eye out for the release on November 6th.

November Nexus 5X Android Oreo Update Impressions

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If you're already on Android Oreo (and we assume most of you are) the download and installation should only take you a few minutes.  The Nexus 5X's November patch is just a few MB and the installation took just a few minutes to complete. Overall, it shouldn't take you more than 5 minutes to get it on board your phone.  We've been using the Nexus 5X's Android Oreo update for a few hours now and we've been keeping an eye on key areas like battery life and connectivity.  So far, battery life is holding up. We haven't noticed any abnormal drain when using the phone and when it's in standby. It's keeping a solid charge. We've tested the Nexus 5X and Oreo with several Bluetooth devices and we haven't experienced any drops or oddities. Wi-Fi, including eero mesh Wi-Fi, is holding steady as well.  App performance sometimes takes a hit after a new update is released, but we haven't noticed any issues with our core applications. Chrome is fast and reliable. Same goes for YouTube, Gmail, Spotify, Twitter, Asana, and Slack.  Our Nexus 5X is fast. We haven't experienced any lag or lockups during our short time with the new Oreo build.  It's only been a few hours, but we're pretty impressed with the software's performance on our device. Of course, performance could take a turn in the days ahead so we'll keep our eyes out for bugs and widespread problems.  If you're unable to pull the November Nexus 5X update right now, you can manually install the software onto your device. If you're curious about the process, take a look at our walkthrough. It'll take you through step-by-step through manual installation process.

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