Google Issues Pixel Warning—New Update Blocks Android Changes

InnovationCybersecurityGoogle Issues Pixel Warning—New Update Blocks Android ChangesByZak Doffman,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Zak Doffman writes about cybersecurity, surveillance and privacy.Follow AuthorMay 11, 2026, 03:37am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.Pixel update goes live.Getty ImagesGoogle has just issued a critical update for Pixel users. “We encourage all customers to accept these updates to their devices,” the Android-maker says. The update includes a fix for CVE-2026-0073, an Android vulnerability which exposes phones to attack. "User interaction is not needed for exploitation."But this update also comes with a very different but equally serious warning, which Android Authority says “has once again highlighted a long-standing issue for developers and advanced users" with Pixels in hand.ForbesGoogle And Microsoft Warn Passkeys May Not Stop HackersBy Zak Doffman“Warning," Google says, "the May 2026 update for Pixel 10, 10 Pro, 10 Pro XL and 10 Pro Fold devices contains a bootloader update that increments the anti-roll back version for the bootloader. This prevents the device from rolling back to previous vulnerable versions of the bootloader. After flashing the May 2026 update on these devices you won’t be able to flash and boot older Android 16 builds.”Google says the same for Pixel 6 (6, 6 Pro, 6a) and Pixel 8 (8, 8 Pro, 8a) devices: “After flashing the May 2025 update on these devices you won’t be able to flash and boot older Android 15 builds.” if (!window.cnxel) { window.cnxel = {}; window.cnxel.cmd = []; var iframe = document.createElement('iframe'); iframe.style.display = 'none'; iframe.onload = function() { var iframeDoc = iframe.contentWindow.document; var script = iframeDoc.createElement('script'); script.src = '//cd.elements.video/player.js?cid=62cec241-7d09-4462-afc2-f72f8d8ef4...