January Pixel update adds spatial audio, fixes Bluetooth connections, display waking, more

Just this morning, Google posted on the Pixel Phone Support page that your new January 2023 device update will now begin rolling out. In addition to improved fingerprint unlock performance for the Pixel 7 and 6a, numerous fixes are also coming to the units listed below, and most of the other patches are available to all other supported devices as well.

• Pixel 6, 6a, 6 Pro
• Pixel 7, 7 Pro

Anyone who has suffered from Bluetooth connection or pairing issues here and there for certain BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) devices or accessories will be happy to know that they have been addressed. Oh, and those instances where audio simply doesn’t play over certain headphones under certain connection conditions should also be cleared up now too.

The odd bug where your phone would flip into landscape mode while you hold it in your hand portrait-style has also been irradicated, and Pixel 7 and 7 Pro users will no longer be plagued by the display waking screw up that caused your device screen to appear dark when it was powered on.

Photo distortion upon zooming after captures is now a thing of the past too for anyone who encountered it. Most notably, a feature that’s been a long time coming is now releasing. Spatial audio for Pixel 6, 6 Pro, 7, and 7 Pro lets you hear a simulated surround sound experience in your earbuds and emulates many speakers coming from many directions to immerse you further.

This was first added to iPhones by Apple, and now that it’s coming to Android via Google’s latest Pixel lineups, I can’t help but get excited as an audiophile. Pretty soon, an update will be pushed to the Pixel Buds Pro to support spatial audio as well, so queue up your favorite YouTube Music or Spotify playlists and jack in. Be sure to check for an update through your phone’s settings menu, but also note that it will appear in your notification shade when it’s ready for you to install.