The Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are lauded for their many features, but one common criticism for both devices surrounds the fingerprint scanner. This year, Google opted for an in-display fingerprint scanner, which is awesome in theory—it allows for an edge-to-edge display, without worrying about taking up any screen real estate (or any real estate on the phone, for that matter).
But while no one has complained about the move to put the scanner under the display (Google is far from the first to make such a design choice, after all), reviewers and users alike have panned the actual functionality of the scanner. Many report it to be far too slow to feel convenient, and, because there’s no face-scanning option here, you either need to live with it or use your PIN exclusively.
A new Pixel update improves the fingerprint sensor
Thankfully, the slow sensor seems to be a thing of the past. An unexpected Pixel update Tuesday, Nov. 16, suggests that the issue has been patched, or at least addressed. These phones have two new updates, SD1A.210817.037 and SD1A.210817.037.A1 (the “A1″ update is for Verizon Pixel devices). While it wasn’t clear what these updates were for at first, Verizon spilled the beans.
In the changelog for its A1 update, Verizon states, “The current software update improves the performance of your device’s fingerprint sensor.” While that description doesn’t flat out say “the fingerprint sensor is as fast as you’d want it to be,” it’s still a giant step in the right direction.
We’ll need to see real-world tests of the fingerprint sensor after this update to see if the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro’s in-display solution is now comparable to other similar designs on the market. In any case, if you have one of these two devices, you should definitely update yours ASAP.
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How to update your Pixel 6 or 6 Pro
To start, open the Settings app. Look towards the bottom of this page, then tap System > System Update. If an update is available, it will appear here. To install it, just follow the on-screen instructions.
