Each month Google releases security updates and fixes for both Android in general, and its most recent first-party hardware. This month is no exception. OTAs and factory images for Nexus and Pixel devices are now live, as is this month's security bulletin, functional patches for which seem to include a fix for the Pixel 2 XL's proximity sensor issues

Some phones are also getting more than one update this month. Both versions of the Pixel 2 have T-Mobile specific builds, in addition to unlabeled generic images. Updates cover all the Pixels (2/2XL, 2016, and Pixel C), as well as the last generation of Nexus phones (5X and 6P). Build numbers are as follows:

  • Pixel 2 and 2 XL
    • OPM2.171026.006.C1
    • OPM4.171019.021.E1 (T-Mobile)
  • Pixel and Pixel XL
    • OPM4.171019.021.D1
  • Pixel C
    • OPM4.171019.021.D1
  • Nexus 5X and 6P
    • OPM6.171019.030.B1

We haven't seen the OTA land on any of our devices just yet, but you can easily sideload the update if you're impatient.

Security patches this month look to be a bit more sizable, with more critical and high vulnerabilities being fixed than the last month. There are also a lot of Qualcomm and MediaTek-specific patches present on the Pixel bulletin side (some Android One devices have MediaTek SoCs), probably at least partly related to the ongoing Spectre and Meltdown variants being discovered.

Functional patches for Google's own hardware this month are a bit more interesting. All devices should see an improvement in Bluetooth performance. Pixels will get improved Wi-Fi connectivity with certain APs and changes to the IMEI SV format display. The Pixel 2 and 2 XL also see improvements in switching between antennas in areas with weak coverage, while the Pixel 2 XL alone gets that fix for the proximity sensor and better Always On Display consistency—odds are those two are related.

Source: Factory images, OTA images, Security bulletin, Pixel bulletin