Exynos modems were found to have a vulnerability that affected the Pixel 6 and 7 and had already been fixed in a March update.

Google Project Zero reported eighteen 0-day vulnerabilities in Exynos modems made by Samsung Semiconductor. Four of the most serious ones allowed for Internet-to-baseband remote code execution. Attackers can remotely compromise the phone at the baseband level with no user interaction, only knowledge of the victim's phone number is required.

The 14 other vulnerabilities require either a malicious mobile network operator or an attacker with local access to the device.. Vulnerabilities affected:

• Samsung S22, M33, M13, M12, A71, A53, A33, A21, A13, A12 and A04 series devices;
• Vivo S16, S15, S6, X70, X60, and X30 series devices;
• Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 series devices;
• Any wearable devices that use the Exynos W920 chipset;
• Any vehicles that use the Exynos Auto T5123 chipset.

Affected Pixel devices have already received a fix for CVE-2023-24033 in the March 2023 security update (The Pixel 6 series should receive an update on March 20).

Until said devices receive the patch, users are advised to disable Wi-Fi and VoLTE calls in their device settings to protect themselves from the vulnerabilities.

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Pixel 6 and 6 Pro gets Faster Night Sight with a new Google Camera update.

This update was promised as part of the March Pixel Feature Drop. A new shutter duration toggle will now appear in the lower right corner in Night Sight mode, with values dynamically changing for each of the two positions depending on lighting conditions, ranging from 1 to 6 seconds.

This functionality has already been available on the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro since their release, and now appears on the previous generation of flagships. To get the Faster Night Sight you need to update to the new version of Google Camera v.8.8.224.514217832.10.

Google News | En

Pixel 6, 6a and 6 pro gets March security update based on Android 13 QPR2.

After a week of delay, and a couple of news about vulnerabilities, Google is releasing the March security patch for the Pixel 6 series.

Those who have stayed on Android 13 QPR2 Beta 3.2 so far need to quit the beta test to get the update.

Build number: TQ2A.230305.008.E1

Pixel 6a - Factory image | OTA
Pixel 6 - Factory image | OTA
Pixel 6 Pro - Factory image | OTA

Google News | En

Pixel Superfan members get an invitation to the Bard testing program.

In early February, Google announced Bard, a conversational AI based on LaMDA, which should compete with ChatGPT. Back then, testing was only available to a trusted group of users, but now the company is sending out an invitation to *some* members of the Pixel Superfan program.

The lucky ones are invited to fill out a special form, where they will need to specify their personal email used to sign in to Google services.

🔗 via u/mon205 on r/GooglePixel

Google News | En

Google collects feedback on the first beta of Android 13 QPR3.

This survey is relevant for Pixel users who have installed Android 13 QPR3 Beta 1 on their devices. You can check it by going to Settings>About phone, the build number should say T3B1.230224.005.

🔗 Link to survey

🔗 u/androidbetaprogram

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Google has opened early access to Bard.

Starting today, early access to Google's generative AI 'Bard' is available in the United States and the United Kingdom. Over time, the list of available countries and languages will expand.

Bard is based on a research large language model (LLM), specifically a lightweight and optimized version of LaMDA, and will be updated with new, more capable models over time.

Google warns that the LLMs is not without their faults. because they learn from a wide range of information that reflects real-world biases and stereotypes, those sometimes show up in their outputs. LLMs can provide inaccurate, misleading or false information while presenting it confidently.

You can sign up to try Bard at: bard.google.com (US and UK only)

🔗 Google Blog

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Android 13 QPR3 beta 2 is now available.

Feature updates:
• Improvements for Adaptive Charging that can automatically adjust to your charging needs using on-device signals.

List of fixes:
• Fixed an issue that caused the volume panel to flicker when adjusting the volume using the volume buttons.
• Fixed an issue that caused the system UI to get stuck in a blurry state in some cases, such as unlocking the device or finishing a phone call.
• Fixed an issue where the notification shade was closing immediately after a user opened it.
• Fixed an issue where the always-on display was displayed over apps and other content after unlocking the device.
• Fixed an issue where a device couldn't copy apps and data wirelessly during first-time setup.

Build number: T3B2.230316.003
Security Patch: March 2023

🔗 Android Beta

• OTA images
• Factory Images

Google News | En

Google Photos prepares permission prompt screen for Android Photo Picker.

While Google Photos still not declares MANAGE_CLOUD_MEDIA_PROVIDERS permission, it adds some base for future support of Android Photo Picker. Here is also a shortcut for selecting the Cloud Media app in Photo Picker settings.

This page was added in version 6.30 and, of course, is not yet available. But when full support is implemented, Android Photo Picker will be able to show photos from the Google Photos cloud.

Google News | En

Google Password Manager and Keep is the next apps to get Material 3 switches.

For the password manager, new switches appeared in one of the latest beta versions of Google Play Services, and for Keep in the update to version 5.23.122.02.

Although the stable release of the new switches component in the material 3 library took place a long time ago, Google is in no particular hurry to implement them in its applications. Right now, you can find them in the meeting settings in Meet, in the Documents editing overflow menu, Matter devices setup page (maybe somewhere else). They have also been seen in the Material 3 redesign of Google Search settings, Android Auto and some Android 14 DP1 settings pages.

Google News | En

Android launches a beta version of Nearby Share on Windows!

First announced at CES 2022, Google is finally launching a beta version of Nearby Share on Windows that lets you share files between your PC and your Android device. This includes the ability to directly drag and drop files onto the Nearby Share window.

All you need is a Windows 10 x64 PC and up (ARM devices not supported) with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, and a special program you can download at android.com.

Google News | En

Android Nearby Share beta for Windows 10 x64 and higher.

Requirement: Bluetooth and Wi-Fi modules.

(ARM processors are not supported)

Google News | En

More and more Google apps are getting an updated Material You-style account switching window.

Until now, we've only seen it in Messages, Calendar, Google TV, and Tips. Now Google is widely rolling out the new menu design for the following apps: Chat, Contacts, Docs, Drive, Gmail, Search (even without redesigning the app itself) including the weather page, Keep Notes, Maps, News, Photos, Play Books, Play Store, Podcasts, Sheets and Slides.

Google News | En