Google Pixel Phones Get May 2021 Android Security Patch With Important Fixes

Pixel smartphones are getting a new update that fixes a list of vulnerabilities. Google has released security update bulletins for the month of May (2021) that lists vulnerabilities in Pixel smartphones as well as other Android handsets. While the vulnerabilities specific to Pixel smartphones are rated as moderate, the more generic Android bulletin has rated some of the issues from high to critical. The Pixel smartphones to receive the latest updates include Pixel 3 and newer models. A few Android-powered flagship smartphones from Samsung have already got the May 2021 Android security patch.

While the May 2021 Android security patch should be rolled out by OEMs as per their schedules, Pixel handsets usually get the update notifications on the day of release. The updates apply to global variants of compatible Pixel smartphones and most of them have the build number RQ2A.210505.002, except for Google Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a (5G) and Pixel 5 whose updates carry the build number RQ2A.210505.003.

Some of the Samsung Galaxy devices that have already received the May 2021 Android security patch include the Samsung Galaxy S20 series with three devices in its lineup — Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20+, and Galaxy S20 Ultra, and the Samsung Galaxy S21 series that includes Samsung Galaxy S21, Galaxy S21+, and Galaxy S21 Ultra smartphones. Both the series received improvements to camera performance and Samsung's Quick Share feature for transferring data between Galaxy devices. Both series also got the updates in Europe first, which should be rolled out to other regions soon.