lots of OS updates recently?

[dan55]

hi,
...checked for updates last night ...and since then i think it has been through about 8 updates! :/

...i did check and update when i got the phone a few days ago and it did the expected update then

wasnt expecting this many updates so soon .... seems a lot

anyone else getting them? .... or is it just catching up ... i recall a date from march 2019 in one of them .... mainly security ones

cheers
dan

 

[dan55]

another one!

 

[mikedt]

Are you beta testing for Google or something, or is that how Google's own devices run? Of course I've never had one of Google's own Android devices, like a Nexus or Pixel.

 

[Dannydet]

Honestly would nt worry about it, Google puts out security patches for the OS constantly. Be thankful

 

[Hadron]

More likely that the previous owner hadn't been updating and so you'd built up a backlog. Since last summer's release of Android 9 there have just been the monthly security updates.

 

[dan55]

thanks guys ...ah ok cool - that was my thinking too ... just didnt check again after the first update when i got it
cheers

...another one!

 

[dan55]

FINALLY! got to the end ... up-to-date yay! ... only about 9 updates!

 

[mikedt]

FINALLY! got to the end ... up-to-date yay! ... only about 9 updates!

Quite frankly I've never seen anything like that, unless you're using Windows or something?

 

[dan55]

me neither ... but then is my first G phone .... so guess they are a bit keener than other makers with updates

 

[DonB]

That's b/c they know it's you so they're not taking any chances, LOL

 

[dan55]

very likely

 

[codesplice]

Yep, now that you're on the Pixel train you can expect to get an update every single month (or all in a row if you're behind!). The updates are generally just security patches, but there are often important bugfixes and even regular feature enhancements along the way too. If you're every curious about what's included in a given update, you can check here:

https://source.android.com/security/bulletin/pixel

For instance, the August update includes some WiFi, captive portal, and sleep mode improvements. And the stable release of Android Q is just around the corner - and you won't have to wait months/years to see if your device will get it.

 

[dan55]

hi CS,
ah i see - cool - thanks for the info ... yeah tried to get on the Q beta ... but think i was a bit late
cheers

 

[codesplice]

There should be one more beta coming:
https://www.google.com/android/beta

 

[Hadron]

You should still be able to do so. There was an issue when they first released DP5, but I thought that was resolved.

I believe there's supposed to be one more beta before the final release (though last year they skipped to final earlier than was originally posted). I was on the beta programme last year, this year I've one app I absolutely require that as of 2 weeks ago still wasn't working with the beta, so am still "lagging" on Android 9

 

[dan55]

thanks guys .... ah yes good point .... will all my needed apps work :/
@H which is your key app out of interest? ... i have a few forground and service apps i use all the time
cheers

 

[Hadron]

It's a banking app. Most of those don't work with betas, I suspect because the beta lacks some certification rather than for any technical reason.

 

[codesplice]

Interestingly all of my apps work with this beta, including various banking apps and even my work's MDM solution (Airwatch).

 

[Hadron]

I'm basically watching Reddit comments from people using the apps, and a few days ago there were still people reporting that none of theirs are (including the specific one I'm watching).

If reverting didn't involve a reset I'd just test it myself. But I just can't be doing with the hassle of resetting and restoring everything right now.

 

[dan55]

ah i see ... lucky escape for me i think :-D

 

[Hadron]

Depends on the bank. I can confirm at least one that flatly fails, but I saw a post today that said that the one I really needed was working, so I'm not on Q DP6. In fact I've not managed to enable fingerprint ID on it, but as I know the password I can live with that until the next update (I could try uninstall & reinstall and see whether that fixes it, but can't be bothered answering all of my security questions again this evening).

As for Q itself, I like the dark theme, most stuff is working fine, just a couple of minor apps not (including one banking app which I prefer to use a computer for anyway). The gesture stuff is irritating: they won't let you enable it if you are running Nova, but the Pixel launcher is just irritatingly limited. But if you switch to that and activate it, then go back to Nova it all works fine (in fact better than with the Pixel launcher) except the "home" gesture, which doesn't work at all. I don't know what they've done, but it's very silly. Anyway let's hope that can be sorted.

 

[dan55]

thats poor indeed ... Nova is the best!

 

[Hadron]

They seem to have linked the home gesture to the launcher on some way, certainly not just mapped the gesture onto the old home button. I don't know why they would do such a thing, but that is what the behaviour says they've done.