Updates are usually made to fix bugs and enhance features, but the latest one by Google is reportedly doing just the opposite!
According to reports on Google’s Pixel and Nexus product forums, Android’s latest Android 7.1.2 Nougat update is messing up fingerprint sensors on the Pixel/Pixel XL and Nexus 5X/Nexus 6P, rendering them useless.
Scores of people on phone forums are reporting how the lock completely bars them from using phones as the rear-positioned fingerprint sensor goes unresponsive after the update. The people who found other ways to log on to their phones such as a passcode report that the update also doesn’t allow users to register new fingerprints. Deleting the old ones also doesn’t fix the issue.
Coming as a breath of relief for the people worried about their fingerprint sensors as bricked for good, the “swipe down” gesture that allows the user pull down the notification bar is still functioning. It means that the sensor isn’t completely vain, but it’s just a bug in the software that is blocking the fingerprint feature.
There are no updates from Google that when an update will fix this mess. The fingerprint scanner is the safest way to lock your Pixel or Nexus, and it is mandatory to authenticate Android Pay purchases, meaning Google needs to respond fast!
And in case you have already updated to Android 7.1.2, you should use the passcode option, and a strong one at that, or a pattern to secure your phone till the time they find a fix.