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The Pixel 3a and 3a XL will get their final update by July
According to Google, Pixel 3a and 3a XL owners can look forward to one last update
The Pixel 3a is one of the best-received phones in Google's history. Readers and reviewers loved it and the bigger Pixel 3a XL for delivering a great software experience and camera at a stunning price. Unfortunately for the many remaining owners, the 2019-era mid-rangers have been officially left behind. Google's three-year-update promise turns pumpkin this very month, marking the end of software updates — with one exception. Google tells us that a final update is planned to land by July.
Google Pixel 6 gets its Dirty Pipe fix and improved haptics in the May update
And it's the end of the line for the Pixel 3a and 3a XL
Mere hours after May Day itself, Google is now rolling out the May 2022 update for Pixel phones. The associated security bulletin claims the 2022-05-05 patch level includes fixes for CVE-2022-0847 — otherwise known as the Dirty Pipe vulnerability that affected a handful of very recent Android devices. On top of that, Pixel 6 owners can look forward to a few bug fixes, including unexpected display wakes and "improvements for haptic feedback." According to Google's promised update schedule, it's also the end of the line for the Pixel 3a and 3a XL, though we've reached out to Google for more information.
Google details the Pixel 6's recent update while the Pixel 3 is left behind
We've got a changelog for Pixel 6 and 6 Pro's day-one update, but it's the end of the line for the Pixel 3 series
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Google has released the November update for its Pixels — which the Pixel 6 series got a bit early last week. Changes included in that update are finally documented, though, including a few specific fixes for the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro. Unfortunately for Pixel 3 owners, that phone has just reached end of life, and though Google tells us a final wrap-up update is planned for next year, it isn't included in this month's updates.
Out with the old, in with the new: LineageOS cut support for Android 9 Pie earlier this year, and to make up for the loss, the open-source project has just released version 18.1 based on Android 11. It comes with official support for about 60 phones and tablets.
Try out Android 11 for yourself by picking up a Pixel 3a XL for just $300 at Woot
A lot of phone for a little price
Android 11 is here, and we're sure you want to try it out — the only issue is it being limited to the Pixel series and a few beta releases right now. What if you don't have one of those? Well, if the Pixel 4a is still out of your price range, or you're looking for a phone with a bigger screen, you're in luck: Woot has the Pixel 3a XL on sale for just 0.
Hello again, and happy Monday. We're kicking off the third week of February with a diverse lineup of discounted products, including an assortment of Google Pixel phones, a buy-one-get-one-free Google Nest Hub bundle, wireless earbuds, and more. Check out the savings below...
The Pixel 4a is fast approaching, but if you need a budget phone right now, the Pixel 3a is still an excellent pick. It's got a characteristically great camera, really strong battery life, and adequate performance for most tasks. And it's an even better deal right now: you can grab one for $50 off and get a $100 gift card to boot.For the price — and especially with added incentives — the 3a is an outstanding device. So much so, it was our phone of the year for 2019.
Google Pixel security patch updates have been nothing short of a wreck since late 2019. There was the delayed November patch for the Pixel 4/4XL, Pixel launcher crashes on some devices following the December patch that was ultimately put on hold, and a very slow rollout for the first Pixel feature drip drop. To help clean up the mess, Google is rolling out its promised cumulative update that combines December and January patches into one.
Live Caption is one of the most interesting features introduced on the Pixel 4, and it's great that it's coming to the Pixel 3 and 3a line, as well. By default, it only shows you two lines of live-transcribed text, which might be enough in most circumstances. But if you ever need to see more context, you can double tap the overlay to make it display eight lines of text.
With Google's October 15 event inching closer, the company keeps discounting its current-gen devices. While we're not expecting to see a Pixel 3a successor this month, Google's budget line is also now seeing a price drop of $50 across Amazon, Best Buy, and B&H Photo. The 3a is going for $350 at these retailers and the 3a XL will set you back $430.The Pixel 3a line borrows the same highly praised camera from the Pixel 3 and adds a headphone jack to the package while forgoing the glass back for plastic and replacing the Snapdragon 845 with the less capable 670. Still, even starting at $400, the device has always been a great choice for people looking for a clean version of Android with fast updates and one of the best photography experiences in the market without breaking the bank. With $50 off, this is even truer.