Google’s Android Security Update for April 2024 has been released, and includes several important patches. And it's joined by fixes for an annoying Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro bug that prevented users from using the camera properly.
According to the latest Android Security Bulletin and Pixel Update Bulletin, several high-severity security patches and one Pixel-specific critical patch are addressed in the latest updates.
Outside of the security patches though, there are several camera improvements, including one that addresses a Pixel 8 problem that made automatic exposure adjustments inaccessible after the user tapped the screen to focus their image.
There is a fix for two issues. The first is camera stability when switching between different zooms in certain conditions — which will affect the Google Pixel 6 and later models. The second should sort out an issue where black halo artefacts appear in the viewfinder when transitioning from photo to video mode at 1x zoom — that affects both the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro.
The April security patch will be rolling out to every Pixel model from the Google Pixel 5a onwards. While it's not as substantive as the March Update, which brought users an expanded Circle to Search feature, as well as 10-bit HDR video options, these new security and bug patches serve an important purpose, and as such it is crucial to update your devices as soon as possible to benefit from better security.
The Pixel Watch gets an update too
It should also be noted that the Pixel Watch’s April update has also been released. including a new feature for the Pixel Watch that allows it to tell the time using haptic feedback.
This uses vibrations to inform the user of the time, with the choice of two different vibration settings, called Digits and Terse. The former offers more precise time-keeping with updates to the minute, while the latter will vibrate at quarter-hourly increments.
If you are curious how the Pixel 8 cameras compare to other models, then check out our comparison between the Pixel 8 Pro and the Galaxy S24 Ultra. You might also like to see our hubs for the Google Pixel Fold 2, Pixel 8a or Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro, where we have compiled all the news and rumors about Google’s upcoming phones.
