Android 7.1.1 released for Pixel and (most) Nexus devices

Google updates everything but the Nexus 6 to Android 7.1.1.

Ron Amadeo

The Nexus 5X and 6P.

Ron Amadeo

Today, Google released a new minor version of Android: 7.1.1 Nougat. The new release means different things to different Google devices. The Pixel and Pixel XL move from Android 7.1 to 7.1.1, bringing the December security update and some bugfixes. It's a bigger deal for Nexus devices, however, as the update marks the move from Android 7.0 to 7.1.1 and the end of the "Android 7.1 Developer Preview" for Nexus devices.

For now, 7.1.1 is out for the Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel C, and the Nexus 6P, 5X, 9, 9 LTE as well as the Nexus Player. Interestingly, the Nexus 6 also received a December security release today, but it's based on Android 7.0. It seems like the Nexus 6 won't get an Android 7.1 update this month. Android 7.1 exclusively launched on Google's new flagship device, the Google Pixel, in October. Nexus devices—a brand which Google seems to be done with—were instead relegated to a "developer preview" release of Android 7.1 (along with the Pixel C), which ends with this update. Android 7.1 was developed alongside the Pixel devices, and Google chose to make many features exclusive to the Pixel line. For instance, Nexus devices still won't get the Google Assistant, new navigation bar, or the Pixel Launcher, but they should see better touch input latency, a F.lux-style "Night Light," and new emojis.

Update: Nevermind on the night mode. Google said "Night Light" would be a part of Android 7.1, but later clarified that due to a hardware issue, the feature would not come to older Nexus devices. After installing 7.1.1 on a Nexus device we can confirm that Night Light is missing.

As for the Pixel devices, Verizon—which has been much better at communication with its customers than Google—posted the following change log:

This update fixes these issues:

• Customers couldn't retrieve their Visual Voicemail messages and were getting an error 9999 in some areas.
• Voicemail icon notification was not displaying when a new voicemail message was received.
• Device stopped playing voicemail messages over Bluetooth® after the screen timed out.
• Device occasionally went to blue screen during an inbound call.
• Email font was too small.
• Text was garbled on the call screen/dialer and the text was corrupted on the Recent Calls and contact list screens.

This update improves:

• You can now choose Cellular or Wi-Fi as your preferred way of calling while roaming internationally.
• Latest Android™ security patches.

Update: In Android 7.1.1 Pixel devices also basically see the return of the "Ambient Display" feature that was present in Nexus devices. This is a dark version of the lock screen that occasionally fades in while the phone is idle. On the Pixel this comes in the form of two new "moves" in the settings: Double tap to start Ambient Display and lift to start Ambient Display.

Google also has a blog post up now.

Updates should start rolling out to devices today, although Google's update system can take a full month to reach everyone. If you don't want to wait for your phone to automatically install 7.1.1, full system images are here, and OTAs are here.