Posted by On the 6th of December, Google released the December 2021 Android security patch, but the update for Pixel phones was a bit more substantial, adding a handful of new features to most Pixel phones.
The Pixel 6 update had been delayed, but it now appears that it has been completely paused.
Although Google didn’t start rolling out the December 2021 update to the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro until December 13, many Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro owners were still waiting (and some resorted to manually flashing it).
Following reports of calls dropping and disconnecting after installing the upgrade, Google has confirmed it has paused the rollout.
“The Pixel team paused the December software update to Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro devices after some users reported calls dropping or disconnecting,” a Google representative wrote on the Pixel Help forums.
We’ve found a solution, which will be released in a software update by late January.
All of the fixes and improvements that were planned in December will be included in this update.”
With the exception of those who have already received the buggy update, this means that most Pixel 6 users will be stuck on the November 2021 security patch level until late January.
That is bad news, but stopping people from making phone calls is probably not a better option.
Anyone having issues should perform a factory reset while reverting to the November 2021 system image, according to Google’s advice.
Many Pixel 6 owners expressed their dissatisfaction with the initial rollout on social media.
“Still no network connectivity on the Pixel 6 following the December update and no word from Google,” one user wrote, while another lamented “no signal, no WiFi, no Bluetooth & battery dead in half a day all this for 19 days.”
Signal issues and decreased battery life were reported by XDA Developers’ Jeff Springer, and other reports stated that the official Pixel Stand charger was no longer working.
If you want to risk a (potentially) buggy update, the OTA files and factory images for the December 2021 update are still available from Google’s website.