Google releases new Android 15 update to over a dozen Pixel devices with major change for older smartphones

Google is expected to deliver Android 16 shortly, with a release sometime this quarter mooted by many quarters. In the meantime, the company has started rolling out its May 2025 update for all devices running Google Tensor chipsets.

As it stands, all but the Pixel 9a will receive BP1A.250505.005. For some reason, Google is pushing BD4A.250505.003 to its latest mid-range smartphone (curr. $499 on Amazon) despite their being no Pixel 9a-specific changes this time around.

In a support post, Google clarifies that all eligible devices will receive three major bug fixes, including one that resolves a problem causing degraded microphone recording quality in certain apps. BP1A.250505.005 and BD4A.250505.003 also should fix Bluetooth pairing issues for certain unspecified smartwatches; Google has not provided any further details in this regard, though. Moreover, the new updates resolve a bug that resulted in a secondary language occasionally being displayed in quick settings tiles.

The updates bring the May 2025 set of Android security patches to the Pixel 6 onwards too. On top of that, BP1A.250505.005 brings a bootloader update to all Pixel 6 and Pixel 8 devices. Consequently, none of these devices can be downgraded to an older Android release after BP1A.250505.005 is applied. As Mishaal Rahman warns, attempting to do so will brick the device. Please see Google's special instructions below and its associated developer post for more information.