It is virtually arduous to imagine that is taking place once more, however Pixel customers are reporting that an OS replace has locked them out of their telephones’ inner storage, inflicting app crashes, non-functional telephones, and an actual chance of information loss. Over within the Google Pixel subreddit, person “Liv-Lyf” compiled a dozen posts that complain of an “inner storage entry subject” and blame the January 2024 Google Play system replace.
In October, Pixel telephones confronted a nightmare storage bug that induced bootlooping, inaccessible units, and knowledge loss. The current publish says, “The signs are all the identical” as that October bug, with “inner storage not getting mounted, digital camera crashes, Information app exhibits no information, screenshots not getting saved, inner storage exhibits up empty in ADB Shell, and many others.” When requested for a remark, Google informed Ars, “We’re conscious of this subject and are trying into it,” and a Google rep posted successfully the identical assertion within the feedback.
Within the October bug, customers have been locked out of their system storage on account of an odd permissions subject. Having a telephone attempt to run with none person entry to your personal storage is a multitude. It breaks the digital camera and screenshots as a result of you’ll be able to’t write media. File Managers learn “0 bytes” for each file and folder. Nothing works over USB, and a few telephones, understandably, simply fail in addition. The problem in October arrived as a part of the preliminary Android 14 launch and solely affected units that had a number of customers arrange.
Choosing via the posts, it is unclear if there is a sure sort of person that ought to be extra cautious of the January 2024 Google Play replace. Some customers say they have not enabled the multiple-user performance, however a number of point out having a piece profile enabled. Work Profiles aren’t fairly “a number of customers,” however the system leverages plenty of multi-user options to let customers have duplicate “private” and “work” copies of the identical apps. Many customers do not say if they’ve a piece profile or not.
The “January 2024 Google Play system replace” is not the standard OTA system replace however is a Undertaking Mainline or APEX module. These take core system parts and wrap them up into simply distributable packaging the place they are often delivered by way of the Play Retailer, very similar to an app, however with far more permissions (solely Google could make Play system updates). Google posts launch notes for Play system updates, and there is nothing within the January 2024 replace that jumps out because the potential reason for a storage entry drawback. You’ll be able to test your present model on a Pixel telephone by going to Settings, Safety & Privateness, then “System & updates.” On the backside, you will see a month and 12 months in your “Google Play system replace” degree. DO NOT faucet on this part as a result of that can carry up the replace display.
Google’s “we’re trying into it” assertion does not give customers a lot steering on how they need to cope with this within the meantime. A great first step, at any time, is to make sure you have backups of all of your necessary telephone knowledge. Clearly, avoiding the January 2024 Google Play system replace is really useful for now, however I do not suppose there is a manner for customers to do this. Google Play system updates do not provide customers any controls, so that you’re largely hoping an automated replace does not brick your telephone. The excellent news is that the Google Play system typically fails to test for updates. They get put in on reboot, so strive to not energy cycle your telephone. Disabling a piece profile and every other multi-user options appears like a good suggestion should you can handle that. There are directions right here.
