In summary:
- Tech Advisor reports that Google’s March Pixel Drop update has introduced a serious bug causing Always-on Display freezing on Pixel 9 and Pixel 10 devices.
- Affected users must perform hard resets when their phones freeze, while older Pixel 8 and Pixel 7 models remain unaffected by this issue.
- Disabling the Always-on Display feature appears to prevent the freezing problem, though Google has not yet officially acknowledged the widespread bug.
Google dropped its March Pixel Drop upgrade a couple of weeks ago, but a nasty display bug may have sneaked in alongside all the cool new features.
Over on the Google Pixel Reddit page, some users are reporting that the Always-on Display function is causing major issues with their Google Pixel 10 and Pixel 9 phones following the March Pixel Drop.
“My phone just froze on me on the AOD screen while driving and using android auto through Bluetooth,” reports Google Pixel 10 Pro user WafflesAndBacon1997. “I had to force reset the phone”.
They’re not the only one, either. R3Dix reports: “Pixel 10 Pro here and mine has frozen several times while locked. AOD items show on top of a black background lock screen. I have to force reboot in order to get it to respond.”
Chris Martin / Foundry
A number of other Pixel 10 and Pixel 9-series users have confirmed that there’s a tendency for their phone to jam up on the Always-on Display screen, requiring a hard reboot to free things up.
It seems the AOD function is indeed the culprit, as switching it off seems to prevent the freeze-ups from occurring. One user claims to have attempted a full factory reset – essentially the nuclear option with any phone bug – to no avail.
So far, older Pixel phones seem to be unaffected by the bug, so Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 7 users can allow themselves to feel a little smug right about now.
Google hasn’t yet acknowledged the bug, but it’s presumably on the case. After all, the introduction of irritating bugs seems to be an intrinsic part of the Pixel ownership experience.
It’s a price Pixel owners seemingly have to pay for regular free feature drops.
Author: Jon Mundy, Contributor, Tech Advisor
Jon is a freelance journalist who got his start covering mobile games at the dawn of the App Store. He has since covered everything from smart home tech and laptops to food and culture, but always seems to return to his fascination with smartphones.