Doesn’t the outgoing update fix the Pixel 6a fingerprint scanner?
Now, as hinted above, the big issue here appears to lie in either the budget-friendly Pixel 6a fingerprint scanner hardware or in the software. It isn’t immediately clear which is having the problem. But the end result of that issue is the same. Although it may not ultimately impact every handset. Namely, the feature doesn’t work on those gadgets that are affected. More succinctly, on affected handsets, any fingerprint at all seems to work. Not only were the unregistered fingerprints not saved to the gadget as part of the authentication setup process in the most recent reports. They had never been registered at all. The evidence also showcases that users are able to unlock with more than one of their own fingerprints. And that holds true even when only one fingerprint was actually registered. Suggesting that the fingerprint reader is effectively completely broken on affected Google Pixel 6a devices. Google itself has not responded to the reports either, as of this writing. And, unsurprisingly, there’s no mention of a fix in the initial update that’s already arriving for the handsets. Subsequently, consumers who are receiving the Pixel 6a from Google or their carrier should avoid using the fingerprint scanner as their authentication method. For the time being, it simply isn’t going to be safe for keeping the phone secure. And that includes apps such as those used for banking which also allow fingerprint unlocking or sign-in.
