Nexus phones to receive Android 7.1.1 from December 5th

Google has kept relatively quiet about when Nexus device owners

can expect an update to Android 7.1.1, aside from saying it will be available in early December. Rather than waiting for Google to provide additional information, Vodafone Australia has published an update advisory that lists exactly when this update will be available: December 6th local time.

Considering Australia is more than half a day ahead of the United States, it's most likely that Android 7.1.1 will hit Nexus handsets on Monday, December 5th in North America. Vodafone has only listed an update for the Nexus 6P (build NMF26F) on that day, however it's expected that the Nexus 5X and other devices will receive an over-the-air update on December 5th as well.

The update to Android 7.1.1 will include a small collection of new features, including support for app shortcuts in the launcher, and image keyboards. Vodafone claims the update will include bleeding-edge security updates, dated December 5, as well.

Android 7.1 technically introduces support for Daydream, however no existing Nexus devices meet the hardware requirements for Daydream, so support will remain restricted to Google's newer Pixel devices. Nexus owners also won't get Google Assistant in this update, which is another feature that remains exclusive to Pixel phones for the time being.

Pixel owners will also be receiving an update to Android 7.1.1, although as they already have Android 7.1, the list of new features is much shorter. The main inclusion in this update is the introduction of raise-to-wake and tap-to-wake functionality, which first appeared in an update for Canadian Pixel phones earlier this month.