More and more Pixel 3 owners are grappling with an issue that can render their phones unusable. According to Ars Technica, a growing number of Pixel 3 and 3 XL users are saying on Google’s IssueTracker, the company’s support forums, and Reddit that their phones are “bricking up” (totally unresponsive) with no or no warning. The devices go into a Qualcomm “Emergency Download Mode” (EDL) where you can’t even recover by installing new firmware using regular methods – you can’t get to the bootloader to try.
It’s not sure what is causing the problem, how common it is, or if there is a practical solution other than replacing a particular phone. We asked Google for a comment. Ars speculates about the possibility of a hardware problem like LG’s boot looping, although there isn’t enough evidence to definitely indicate a physical failure.
In any case, the reports of the bricking up aren’t good news for Pixel 3 owners. Many of these phones are either out of warranty or on the verge of losing coverage. You may have to pay for repairs or a new device through no fault of your own. However, Google has extended some Pixel 4 warranties to cover known issues with these handsets, so chances are the company will do the same here and offer free solutions.
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