Google seems to have pushed out the Android 16 QPR1 update to some lucky Pixel 10 owners early. The first Quarterly Platform Release of Android 16 should drop later today (September 3). In many ways, it is a bigger update than the initial Android 16 build, as it brings the new Material 3 Expressive design language and several other new features. While the Pixel 10s already ship with Android 16 QPR1 and Material 3 Expressive, they run an older August build. The new September patch should iron out early glitches and clean up UI inconsistencies.
On Reddit, some Verizon Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL users report receiving a 70MB update. It carries the build number BD3A.250721.001.B7 and contains the September security patch. It seems Google accidentally pushed the September update live ahead of time, as it’s not widely available. And as many Pixel 10 users report, continuously mashing the Check for Update button on their device does nothing either.
There’s no official release notes yet, but given the modest size, expect the new B7 build to address a few minor issues and patch some security vulnerabilities. Do note that this build is different from the day-one 600MB update that Pixel owners received on launch day.
Sadly, based on the comments on this Reddit thread, the new build does not appear to fix the delayed back gesture bug. In case you are unaware, in some apps, the swipe-to-go-back gesture does nothing for 2–3 seconds.
No new GPU drivers
The September patch apparently does not update the GPU drivers, which could have boosted the graphics performance and reduced random stutters in some apps. Further, it’s unclear if the 70MB September patch fixes the wireless charging issues some Pixel 10 users have been complaining about.
Since the Pixel 10 already ships with Android 16 QPR1, the September update will matter more for the Pixel 9 and older compatible devices.
For them, this release will introduce not just the new Material 3 Expressive design language but also refine the Android 16 experience, and bring it closer to what Pixel 10 users are seeing.
