Released with a lot of fanfare, Google’s new Pixel smartphone is a unique Android device insofar as it was designed by Google from the ground up. While initial reviews were seemingly all over the map, it seems that most Pixel owners thus far have been quite pleased with their device.
Of course, seeing as this is Google’s first true smartphone effort, there have been some notable hiccups along the way. According to a fresh report from Android Police, a growing number of Pixel and Pixel XL owners are reporting a range of worrisome software issues that involve the device freezing up for no apparent reason, sometimes for minutes at a time.
The following is a representative complaint from Google’s support forums:
I’m experiencing the same problem. My Pixel XL 128 GB becomes unresponsive randomly. Doesn’t only happen while using a particular app or while doing a particular task. It’s just random. Either I have to wait few minutes until the screen goes to the lockscreen or force a reboot by holding down the power button. Please help guys!!!
While removing certain third-party apps has alleviated the issue for some users, others haven’t been so lucky. Incidentally, I received an email today from a Pixel owner experiencing a whole suite of problems, including alarms that won’t ring, the inability to play music or video content, and in some cases, the inability to make or even receive calls. The same emailer relayed that Google was unwilling to replace the device because he bought it at Verizon. Other Pixel owners, meanwhile, have had better luck securing a replacement or a refund for their faulty device.
“Pixel and Pixel XL owners are having the same problem,” Android Police notes, “which might indicate a common hardware-software issue. While it’s not so widespread that it appears to be happening to all Pixel phones, it looks like a few hundred owners are seeing it at the very least.”
Google at the very least is aware of the issue and hopefully a fix will be coming down the pipeline sometime soon.
