Pixel 5a Just Received the Latest Software Update
All good things must come to an end. For Pixel 5a fans, the end appears to have come this month. Google released the device back in August 2021 and said it would offer three years of software support for it, so the August 2024 security patch for the Pixel 5a should have been the last update for the device. Only this is not true, since the phone only received the update in November 2024.
Essentially, it seemed like the Pixel 5a was truly done for. Google hasn’t sent out the September 2024 or October 2024 security patches to users, so anyone still using 5a could trust that the company is taking these support dates seriously and no more updates or patches will be on the horizon.
But as one Reddit user shared , the Pixel 5a did receive an update this month. According to the post, the update still states that it will be released on August 5, 2024, but it contains fixes that were not included in the original August patch. It also comes with a new build number: AP2A.240805.005.S4, November 2024.
Another Redditor in this thread shares what’s new, at least what he sees from his side:
Comment from user u/Various-Village-3536 from a discussion on GooglePixel
New Pixel phones will get more support
The Pixel 5a was released at a time when Google was still rolling out its promised three years of software updates. This was the common software support schedule for many Android devices: you bought the phone knowing that after three years you would stop receiving updates and would probably upgrade to the latest model.
With the Pixel 6, Google began offering expanded support for security patches. Although software support will only last three years, users will receive security patches for five years. You won’t get any new features, but you will get an extra two years of protection against security vulnerabilities.
But the biggest change came last year with the Pixel 8 : Going forward, Google is offering a seven-year warranty on software and security support for all new Pixel phones. If this policy were in effect for the Pixel 5a, users would receive software and security updates until August 2028. As it stands, the extra three months looks like all you’re going to get.