A dangerous and recurring bug that prevents users from making emergency 911 calls has once again affected Google's Pixel smartphones. Multiple owners have reported that in an emergency, their phones have frozen or failed to connect to 911.

This is not a new problem for the Pixel line of devices. A similar, high-profile bug caused widespread concern in 2021, which was later identified as a conflict with the Microsoft Teams application.

Users Report Alarming Failures

Recent complaints on platforms like Reddit describe frightening scenarios where the phones failed in a moment of crisis. Owners of multiple models of the Pixel have all reported experiencing the bug. A common story is being unable to connect without using WiFi calling, despite being in an area with good cell coverage. (Source: androidpolice.com)

One Pixel 9 Pro user described attempting to call 911 during a gas leak, only to have the phone repeatedly prompt them to enable WiFi calling or disable airplane mode despite having full signal on both 5G and WiFi. The device would then freeze and restart, forcing the user to ask a friend to make the call instead.

An Inconsistent and Unpredictable Problem

The bug's inconsistency makes it particularly difficult to address. It does not affect all users, nor does it occur predictably. While some calls simply fail to connect, other reports from earlier incidents described calls going through but producing only screeching and static on the other end.

Bell, a Canadian carrier, issued a warning about Pixel 6 and newer models experiencing problems on its network, though the company later stated that Google had issued a fix. (Source: iphoneincanada.ca)

What's Your Opinion?

Does the recurrence of such a critical bug affect your trust in a phone brand? Should manufacturers face stricter penalties for flaws that compromise access to emergency services? What steps do you think Google should take to regain the confidence of its customers?