Google Pixel 4a Gets October 2020 Android Security Update With Fixes for Auto-Brightness, Touch Sensitivity

Google has released the October 2020 Android security update bringing auto-brightness and touch sensitivity on the newly launched Pixel 4a. The latest software release also carries a list of improvements for the existing Pixel phones, including the Pixel 3, Pixel 3a, and Pixel 4 series. Additionally, the October Android security update fixes various vulnerabilities and loopholes that could allow bad actors to impact user privacy. The update addresses vulnerabilities ranging from high to critical. The October update also fixes issues affecting MediaTek and Qualcomm components.

As per the details available on the Pixel Phone Community forums, the October Android security update improves auto-brightness response of the Google Pixel 4a. The improvement seems to be related to the under-display ambient light sensor of the phone, as noted by 9to5Google.

The October Android update also improves touch sensitivity on the Pixel 4a when using screen protectors. Further, there are fixes for the missing auto-rotate icon in certain orientations, call notifications, and undetected overview swipe gestures in the Pixel Launcher. These are meant for not just the Pixel 4a but also for the Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL, Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL, Pixel 3a, Pixel 3a XL, Pixel 4, and Pixel 4 XL. The update also addresses the issue in which devices stuck during boot. This is for all Pixel phones starting from the Pixel 2 to the latest Pixel 4a.

Google has also brought an improvement for auto-rotation that is meant for the Pixel 3, Pixel 3a, and Pixel 4 series as well as the Pixel 4a.

The October Android security update has started rolling out for the Pixel 4a and earlier Pixel phones. However, you also can manually sideload the new software package.

In addition to the specific changes for the Pixel phones, the October Android update addresses 20 issues through the security patch dated 2020-10-01 and 28 via the patch dated 2020-10-05. The updated details on the Android Security Bulletin shows that the update fixes six critical vulnerabilities and 41 issues that have high severity.

The most severe of the issues addressed by the October Android security update is a vulnerability in the system component that could allow a remote attacker to gain access to additional permissions on the devices using a specially crafted transmission.

“The severity assessment is based on the effect that exploiting the vulnerability would possibly have on an affected device, assuming the platform and service mitigations are turned off for development purposes or if successfully bypassed,” Google stated in the Android Security Bulletin.

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