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Pixel phone’s seamless updates have reportedly been made much faster with the Android 14 QPR2 Beta 1 update. For those unfamiliar, a seamless update is a Pixel-exclusive method of updating the software. It allows you to continue using your Pixel phone while it installs the update. This is in contrast to traditional software updates, which require you to stop using your phone to install the update and can take several minutes to complete.
Seamless updates have long been a distinctive feature on Google’s Pixel phones, offering users the convenience of installing updates without disrupting their device usage.
The concept of seamless updates relies on the presence of two system partitions on Pixel phones. When a seamless update is initiated, the new software is installed on the inactive partition. Subsequently, the phone reboots, seamlessly transitioning to the updated partition.
Seamless updates now take less time for the reboot
While seamless updates have been a staple feature since the Nexus days, recent user feedback indicates that Google is actively working to enhance its speed. Traditionally, seamless updates on Pixel phones could take up to 30 minutes to complete. Despite this duration, users appreciated the benefit of being able to use their phones throughout the update process, except for a single reboot. This not only extended usability but also ensured a safer update process.
Now reports suggest that Google has significantly reduced the reboot time of seamless updates. Users testing the latest Android 14 updates, particularly the QPR2 Beta 1, have reported a substantial improvement in installation speed. Some users have experienced installation times as short as 10 minutes, a significant reduction from the previous average duration. Even the “optimizing” step, notorious for consuming the bulk of install times, reportedly took only 2.5 minutes on a Pixel Fold.
This acceleration in seamless updates aligns with earlier observations of Google actively working to reduce the rebooting time.