The update released for Google’s Pixel phones in January should not be installed for the time being.
Pixel series phones have an update problem. Adobe Stock
The latest update received by Google’s Pixel phones has led to serious problems. Numerous Pixel owners have reported on the internet that their phones have become unusable after the update.
Instead of a wirelessly downloaded update, the problem update comes to the phone via the Play Store. It thus resembles an application a bit, but its rights when downloaded to the device are much broader than the application.
Among other things Ars Technica and Bleeping Computer say that Pixel phone users also don’t seem to have any common factor that explains the phones becoming unusable.
Some have had a separate work profile on their phone, but some’s phone has stopped working even without using it.
At least on Reddit, owners of Pixel phones have offered a solution to restore the device to factory settings, in which case all data stored on it will be lost. Google itself has so far not offered any solution to the problem, but has contented itself with announcing that it is aware of the issue.
As a Pixel phone owner, it is currently important to take care not to download the January software update, at least for the time being. You should also back up your phone data to another device just to be safe.
The disaster caused by the latest update is not even the first of its kind.
Because Pixel phones became unusable due to an update already once before in October 2023. Repeated problems like this do not give a good picture of Google’s quality control in any way.