Google Pixel 6a Has Major Security Flaw, Can Be Unlocked With Unregistered Fingerprints

The newly-launched Google Pixel 6a may have had a rocky launch as several units are having major security issues, according to some reviews.

A video shows that several people who did not register their fingerprints were also able to unlock the Pixel 6a with ease. Image: Google

The newly-launched Google Pixel 6a may have had a rocky launch as several units are having major security issues, according to some reviews. Last year's Pixel 6 series had also encountered issues with fingerprint sensors and now, the new Pixel 6a is said to have this major security flaw.

According to a post published on r/Android, two different videos on YouTube elaborate on the Pixel 6a's fingerprint scanner to prevent unregistered users from accessing the device. The first YouTube video has been posted by YouTuber Geekyranjit, who said to have unlocked the Pixel 6a with two of his thumbs, despite having registered only one thumb's fingerprint as security.

Another video by Beebom is far more concerning that shows that several people who did not register their fingerprints were also able to unlock the Pixel 6a with ease.

It should be noted that ABP Live could not recreate the experience mentioned in the two YouTube videos.

Price, features and specs of Google Pixel 6a

The Pixel 6a was on July 21 made available in India in a single 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage variant at a price of Rs 43,999. The smartphone comes with accurate speech recognition features including recorder, live caption, and live translate. It also comes with an adaptive battery that can last over 24 hours and up to 72 hours when in Extreme Battery Saver mode which is a first for Pixel phones, the tech giant has claimed.

The Pixel 6a is built with an extra layer of hardware security in Google Tensor chip, which works with the Titan M2 security chip so that sensitive user data is safe. The Pixel 6a has been made available in the country in two classic colours: Charcoal and Chalk. According to the company, the Pixel 6a will receive five years of security updates along with the latest features and updates introduced by Google. As always, the Pixel 6a will also be among the first Android devices to receive the upcoming Android 13 update.