UPDATE: If manually flashing updates is your style, Google has posted the newest Nexus factory images to its website.
It’s a new month, which means that it’s time for some new Android security updates.
Starting today, January 4, Google is pushing its latest round of Android security fixes to its Nexus phones. That’s according to Sprint and Verizon, who have updated their support sites with details on the updates. The build numbers for the updates include MMB29P for devices like the Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X, MMB29S for the Nexus 6 and Nexus 5, and MMB29O for the Nexus 7.
The only changes listed for these updates are “Security Updates,” so don’t expect to find any new features or anything like that after installing them. If you haven’t yet gotten your update, you can check for it manually by going into Settings > About phone > System updates > Check for Update. Just keep in mind that Google pushes these updates in waves, so your update could take a few days to show up.
This round of updates is part of Google’s effort to provide monthly security fixes to its Nexus devices. The company announced the program in August 2015, saying that it’ll provide security updates to Nexus devices for three years after release or 18 months after it stops selling a device, whichever lasts longer. Android is often associated with security issues, and while opinions will vary on whether or not Android actually does have security problems, Google’s commitment to providing security fixes every month helps to dispel that issue (so long as you’ve got a Nexus, that is).
