Aamir Siddiqui / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Google paused the December 2025 update rollout for the Pixel 7a.
- Google could issue a mid-cycle hotfix or bundle everything into January’s update instead.
Google’s December 2025 update rollout has been smooth for almost every eligible Pixel — except the Pixel 7a. Newer and older models are already running Android 16 QPR2, but 7a owners are still waiting. It’s frustrating, but there might be a good reason Google halted the update for this specific model.
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Even though the Pixel 7a is clearly listed as eligible for Android 16 QPR2, the update still hasn’t landed on the device. Over on Redidt’s Pixel sub, user One_Meaning_5256 shared a conversation with a Google representative who seems to have not much more insight than the rest of us into the situation, mentioning anecdotal reports of Wi-Fi stability issue affecting the Pixel 7a (via PiunikaWeb).
The device is also nowhere to be found on Google’s official list of Pixel models getting the December 2025 update.
It’s rare for Google to pull an update for a single device this far into the Pixel lineup, but whatever’s going on here (possibly that Wi-Fi issue) appears serious enough to justify the pause.
Looking ahead, there are two likely outcomes. Google might release a quick mid-cycle hotfix once the underlying bug is fixed. Alternatively, the company could wait until January’s update and send out a combined patch with both December’s fixes and the next monthly release.
Either way, don’t look at the delay as a sign of abandonment — it’s probably just Google trying to avoid degrading core connectivity on a still-popular midrange device.
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