Google Drops Pixel 6 From Android 17 Beta 4 as 2021 Flagship Nears Update End

Q: With one major Wireless ADB flaw patched, does a hidden VPN bypass vulnerability still leave Android users exposed?

Yes. The Android 17 QPR1 Beta 4 update closes a serious Wireless ADB hole, but it does not, based on the information provided, resolve the separate concern that Wireless ADB traffic can bypass Always-On VPN and its kill switch. The patched flaw is significant: Google’s May 2026 security update fixes CVE-2026-0073, a trust failure in `adbd` that could let an attacker on the same network bypass Wireless ADB authentication and gain a shell without user interaction. That is a direct remote-compromise risk, and Beta 4 appears to address it on supported Pixel devices. The VPN issue is different. The available reporting describes it as an undocumented behavior in which Wireless ADB binds directly to the physical network interface instead of the VPN tunnel, potentially leaking traffic even when users expect all connections to be forced through the VPN. Nothing in Google’s Beta 4 release notes says that behavior was changed. The noted fix only says a regression preventing Wireless ADB and local-network apps from connecting was resolved. That means users may be safer from unauthorized Wireless ADB access after updating, but not necessarily protected from VPN-policy bypass if they use Wireless Debugging. For security-sensitive users, the practical advice remains to install the latest patch, keep Developer Options and Wireless Debugging off unless needed, and avoid assuming Always-On VPN fully covers ADB-over-Wi‑Fi traffic until Google explicitly documents and fixes that behavior.

3 articles · Updated · tech-ish.com · Jun 11

Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro were left off Google’s Android 17 QPR1 Beta 4 compatibility list, even as the new build rolled out to other supported Pixel phones.
Google said the exclusion is temporary and that both 2021 models will return in the next QPR1 beta, suggesting a short-term development pause rather than immediate end of support.
CP31.260522.006 ships with the May 2026 security patch and Google Play Services 26.15.32, targeting regressions including camera jitter at 5x zoom, broken Back Tap gestures and local network failures.
The skip still underscores that the Pixel 6 line is now Google’s oldest phone family receiving major Android upgrades, with Android 17 expected to be among its last full platform updates.