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Don’t update your Google Pixel phone — you might break it

Have a Google Pixel phone? Don't install any new software updates that you receive. If you do, there's a good chance you may break your phone.

One of the reasons to buy a Google Pixel phone is to be first in line to receive software updates — from new Android versions to important security patches. Unfortunately, one of the latest updates from Google is breaking some Pixel phones.

Over the weekend, a Reddit user on the r/GooglePixel subreddit compiled a list of threads from nearly a dozen Pixel owners reporting issues with their phones after downloading the most recent January 2024 Google Play system update.

What’s wrong? In short, the January 2024 update appears to be causing internal storage access issues. This means missing files, unsaved screenshots, camera crashes, etc. The same thing happened last October.

Digging through the various Reddit complaints, the January 2024 update can be quite the stinker. Some of the reported issues include:

To make matters worse, it appears that the January 2024 update has affected a lot of Pixel models. Issues have been reported for the Google Pixel 5, Pixel 6, and Pixel 7. Even the Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro are susceptible.

To make matters worse, Google’s support team hasn’t been very helpful so far. One user says that “Pixel Support wasn’t helpful at all,” while another writes, “Pixel Support’s line of troubleshooting questions have been very basic and they don’t seem to recognize that it’s a widespread issue caused by the January update.”

So, what’s the solution here? Until Google acknowledges the issue and releases a fix for it, your best bet is to factory reset your phone. Numerous reports across Reddit indicate that a factory reset gets things back to normal. Before proceeding, however, you’ll want to ensure you have a recent cloud backup so you don’t lose everything on your phone.

As a reminder, these issues are only happening to Pixel users on the January 2024 Google Play system update. To see which version your Pixel is running, open the Settings app and tap Security & privacy, then System & updates. My Pixel 8 Pro is still running the November 1, 2023, Google Play system update, which could also be the case for you. If so, avoid downloading any new updates until Google has an answer for what’s going on.

Are you tired of paying for streaming services you never watch just to get a phone plan feature you actually want? T-Mobile has good news for you! The carrier is rolling out new plans, called T-Mix, in early November to replace its old Experience lineup with a build-your-own perks system called Picks.

The benefits you choose vary from streaming and gaming to food delivery, AI, satellite service, and phone discounts. But if you are satisfied with your existing plan, you can keep it.

Merely days after the iPhone Duo hit the shelves, images of broken screens on the phone started popping up across social media. Until now, it’s been unclear what’s causing the line of defective pixels that appears vertically along the crease, as well as horizontally, on the phone’s inner display.

Apple has finally acknowledged the issue, which has shown up on iPhone Duo units owned by customers as well as demo units in stores. In a statement shared with Bloomberg, Apple says that not all iPhone Duo units are affected and that those that are tend to show the display fault early on. The company added that users who experience problems with their iPhone Duo display should contact AppleCare for a replacement.

Not long ago, Apple treated independent repair like an act of outright hostility. The Cupertino giant locked down parts with serial-number pairing, while repair tools remained firmly out of reach of anyone outside its authorized repair network. More importantly, the company waged a legal and lobbying battle against right-to-repair legislation.

I've covered enough of these fights over the years to know what a shift looks like. That's why what happened in October 2026 genuinely caught me off guard. The day the iPhone Duo went on sale, what may be the most mechanically complex iPhone to date, Apple pulled off a surprising about-face. It published teardown-style repair manuals for a handful of major components.