The Pixel 10 gets the spotlight in Google's August update

Published Aug 5, 2026, 12:54 AM EDT I've been writing about Android since 2011, with a focus on device reviews, Samsung and Google Pixel hardware, and the latest happenings in the ecosystem. In my entire writing career, I've reviewed more than 75 Android phones. Carrying both a Samsung or Pixel flagship and an iPhone as a daily driver provides me with deep insight into how Android works and how it compares to iOS. I have been writing for Android Police since 2021, covering news, how-tos, and features. You can find my previous work on Neowin, AndroidBeat, Times of India, iPhoneHacks, MySmartPrice, and MakeUseOf. When not working, I tend to mindlessly scroll through X, play with new AI models, or go on long road trips. You can reach out to me on X or drop a mail at rajesh@androidpolice.com. Sign in to your Android Police account It's the start of a new month, which means Google is once again rolling out a fresh security patch for most compatible Pixel phones. The August 2026 update is light on changes, with the most notable fix addressing a GPU performance issue on the Pixel 10 family. Google's official release notes for the August 2026 update mention only three fixes, all of which are related to the Pixel 10 series. This includes addressing an annoying touchscreen bug that caused it to act all wonky. The full release notes are as follows: What’s included The August 2026 update includes bug fixes and improvements for Pixel users – see below for details Apps Fix for a crash in certain gaming apps under certain conditions*[1] Display & Graphics General improvements for GPU performance in certain conditions *[2] Touch Fix for an issue that can cause the touch panel to become unresponsive in certain conditions*[1] The August 2026 security bulletin lists one security-related fix for a 'High' severity issue. The build number for the August 2026 update for compatible Pixel phones (Global) is as follows: Pixel 8: CP2A.260805.005 Pixel 8 Pro: CP2A.260805.005 Pixel 8a: CP2A.260805.005 Pixel 9: CP2A.260805.005 Pixel 9 Pro: CP2A.260805.005 Pixel 9 Pro XL: CP2A.260805.005 Pixel 9 Pro Fold: CP2A.260805.005 Pixel 9a: CP2A.260805.005 Pixel 10: CP2A.260805.005 Pixel 10 Pro: CP2A.260805.005 Pixel 10 Pro XL: CP2A.260805.005 Pixel 10 Pro Fold: CP2A.260805.005 Pixel 10a: CP2A.260805.005 The August patch is only available for Pixel 8 and newer devices. It is not rolling out for the Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 series. Google says the rollout will continue over the "next week in phases," so it may not immediately show up on your phone for download. Will the August update fix the Pixel 10's GPU woes? The Pixel 10's poor GPU performance has been an issue since its launch last year. While the PowerVR DXT-48-1536 GPU itself isn't particularly powerful, outdated GPU drivers also appear to be contributing to the problem. The phone launched with a GPU driver that was not even compatible with Android 16 and lacked Vulkan 1.4 support. Despite rolling out several updates, including Android 17 in June, Google has yet to address it fully. A GPU driver upgrade in December 2025 helped improve performance, but it was a minor version bump. The August 2026 security patch is unlikely to resolve the issue entirely. However, based on Google's release notes, it should improve GPU performance under certain conditions. The next big Pixel update will arrive in September. It will be Android 17's first Feature Drop and should include several new features and improvements.