Google rolls out surprise farewell update for the Pixel 5a

The Pixel 5a was a pretty good phone for its time. Succeeding the Pixel 4a, it brought a metal build to the A series for the first time. It also holds the crown for the largest display ever on a Pixel A series device — 6.34 inches, and it was the first mid-range Pixel to get an official dust and water resistance rating.

In August, Google rolled out what everyone thought was the last update to the Pixel 5a. It launched in August 2021 with a three-year update promise, so naturally, no one expected Google to continue pushing new software to the device after August 2024. However, Google has somewhat started a trend of pushing out one last update to end-of-life devices, and it’s now the Pixel 5a’s turn to receive one.

Users on Reddit are reporting that the Pixel 5a just got a new security update with version number AP2A.240805.005.S4. Droid Life also reports that the update is rolling out with the November security patch. However, users who have received the update claim that the security patch level is still in August 2024, not November.

A Redditor who dug into the update reports that it includes some bug fixes and stability improvements in adaptive brightness, Bluetooth routing, and media player.

The previous Pixel 5a update came with version number AP2A.240805.005, so the new update is, at best, a minor one. If you’re still rocking a Pixel 5a, let us know if you see any big changes after updating to the latest build.