What you need to know
- The January 2020 security patch has been released.
- There is now a dedicated support thread for Pixel-specific features and bug fixes.
- Images and update files are now available at the Google Developer site.
Google kicks off the 2020 update season with some changes to its documentation and a slew of Android-based patches from Qualcomm with the January 2020 Android Security Bulletin.
You'll find the usual Android framework and kernel patches to enhance your phone's security but January 2020 includes a whopping 18 closed source (and undisclosed) fixes from Qualcomm to fix Android-specific bugs in its Snapdragon processors. These fixes are also included in the Pixel-specific update so they aren't related to the now-patched ultrasonic fingerprint sensor issues we saw in the Galaxy S10, and since they're undocumented we're not sure just what they address.
That's fine as long as Google and Qualcomm know what needs fixing and then fixes it, so it's great seeing them. If you are a Pixel owner and like to do things manually, you'll only find these updates in the Pixel binary package so make sure yours is up to date.
Another nice change is how Google is giving us all the information it knows we crave. You'll find the Pixel-specific security patches in their usual place at the Android Security Bulletin site but functional changes — read features and bug fixes for Pixels — now live in the proper Google support center. You'll find the information for the January 2020 patch here.
Not a lot to get excited about with the January 2020 patch, but if you were affected by any of these bugs you'll be glad to see them fixed! Expect to see OTA updates start soon.
