Some users are still stuck on the November 2022 patch
Google sent out its latest security update to Pixel devices on January 3, 2023, and ten days later, T-Mobile Pixel 7 and 6 series users are reporting that the OTA still hasn’t reached their phones. Timely security updates are one of the main draws for Pixel phones, so many customers are rightfully fuming.
Numerous user reports from Reddit indicate T-Mobile has either held back or outright stopped the January update’s rollout, as spotted by XDA. The issue seems to be affecting most Pixel models that are still supported by Google, regardless of whether the phone was purchased unlocked or directly from the carrier. Pixel 6 and 7 series users report they’re stuck on December’s security patch, and folks on older Pixel devices seem to be missing the last two updates.
Pixel 5 with T-Mobile service stuck on November 5 security patch in mid-January
There was an early report from Droid Life based on a since-deleted Reddit post from a user claiming to work for T-Mobile that said the carrier delayed the January update because of a Bluetooth issue on Pixel 6 and 7 models. This is obviously unverified, but it also wouldn’t explain why users of older Pixel models on the T-Mobile network are stuck on the November 5, 2022 security patch.
9to5Google reported in December that the January 2023 update for Pixel 7 and 7 Pro users on T-Mobile would contain support for the magenta carrier’s three-channel aggregation (3CA) network improvements. T-Mobile is using this technology to leverage the mid-band 5G spectrum it recently started deploying, and the company is touting 3Gbps speeds in early tests — though only the Galaxy S22 has official support for this feature to date. This could be part of the reason for the delayed updates on the newest Pixel models, but it wouldn’t explain the lack of timely updates on the Pixel 6 and older devices.
The Pixel 6 and 6 Pro famously had connectivity issues stemming from a spotty radio chip, with user reports indicating that Google’s attempted fixes via software updates have not resolved the issue. But the Pixel 7 series has been acclaimed for a much-improved radio, so this wouldn’t explain T-Mobile’s update delays for both models. Perhaps there are different issues holding back each Pixel model’s update from receiving T-Mobile’s seal of approval.
We reached out to T-Mobile for comment on the issue but have yet to receive a response. In the meantime, if you can’t stand the wait, you can use Android Flash Tool to manually update your Pixel to the latest available firmware — just know that, if there is a connectivity issue with the latest build on T-Mobile, you might experience some bugs.
