Pixel Owners Brace for Another Round of Fixes – But Not Everyone's Invited
Google has just begun rolling out its October 2025 security update for Pixel devices, and while this should be good news for users, there’s already a noticeable omission: the Pixel 6 series isn’t getting the patch this month. If that feels familiar, it’s because Google pulled the same move back in July. So, the question is: why exactly is the Pixel 6 being left behind again?
This update, launched on October 8, is aimed at devices from the Pixel 7 series all the way to the Pixel 10 lineup, with support for foldables and the Pixel Tablet included. Depending on your device, you’ll see different build versions. Pixel 7, 8, and 9 owners will receive build vBP3A.251005.004.B1, Pixel 10 series phones will get vBD3A.251005.003.W3, and the Pixel Tablet will be updated with vBP3A.251005.004.A2.
While the changelog isn’t as extensive as September’s, Google is tackling an issue that’s been haunting users for months: display glitches. Pixel 7 series owners have reported persistent problems like screen flickering and sudden blackouts. This patch claims to fix those, along with another frustrating bug that causes the display to freeze or turn blurry under certain conditions. Pixel 10 owners aren’t left out – they’re getting a fix for similar frozen or fuzzy display issues.
For the Pixel Tablet, Google says it has addressed a case of "system instability" that could cause the device to run erratically. Other notable fixes in this security patch include:
- Resolving a bug where a semi-transparent background persisted after launching the camera in certain scenarios.
- Correcting an error where the flashlight indicator failed to appear in the At a Glance widget.
- Fixing a System UI crash triggered when starting or stopping media casting using the Media Output Switcher.
But here’s where it gets controversial… Google’s war on display issues isn’t new. Last month’s September update focused heavily on the Pixel 10 series, ironing out complaints about the screen going black during webpage transitions in in-app browsers. This was alongside camera improvements for the Pixel 8 and 9 series. Still, despite these repeated fixes, display quirks keep popping up – raising questions about whether there’s a deeper hardware or software flaw.
September also brought bigger Android-wide changes for users, such as LE Audio Auracast for synchronized listening experiences (ideal for shared music or event audio) and "Androidify," a playful AI-powered customization tool that lets users create personalized virtual assistants matching their habits and lifestyle. These features were widely celebrated and showed Google’s ambition beyond bug fixing.
For those eyeing the Pixel 10, the flagship stands out with a significant camera upgrade – a third lens – bringing it closer to the Pro and Pro XL variants in versatility. It also features a fully upgraded Gemini experience, promising to adapt seamlessly to both work and play throughout your day.
And this is the part most people miss: While every update promises more stability and polish, Google’s pattern of excluding older models from certain patches sparks ongoing debate. Is this about technical limitations… or a subtle push towards upgrading?
What’s your take – is Google doing right by focusing on newer devices, or should it be just as committed to supporting older Pixel models for as long as possible? Drop your thoughts in the comments – let’s see where the community stands.
