Latest Google Pixel update fixes bug that prevents 911 calls with Teams installed

Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

Google is bringing an update to older Pixel devices to fix a dangerous bug that prevents users from calling 911, as noted by a post on a Google support page. The bug stems from an unintended interaction between the Android OS and Microsoft Teams — it only affects devices with Android 10 or later and could occur if you have Teams installed but aren’t signed in.

On the support page, Google notes that the update resolves the “issue preventing emergency calls in certain conditions while some third-party apps are installed.” It’s available on devices running Android 12 (including the Pixel 3 and up), but the update hasn’t rolled out to the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro yet. Google paused updates for these devices following reports of dropped calls when it released the December update but says a fix will arrive later this month. Last month, Teams also issued an update to its app to fix the bug, however, it’s unclear whether Google will release a patch for other Android devices that could be affected as well.

Aside from the 911 calling bug, the Pixel update also fixes an issue that causes the navigation bar to disappear when the device orientation is changed, a picture-in-picture (PIP) window rendering glitch, and a memory leak in the system UI. A fix for the problem that causes the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro to drop calls over Wi-Fi is also listed, but that still hasn’t been rolled out due to the aforementioned delay.

Google also released a separate security update, offering some fixes for Pixel devices running Android 11 and above, and once again excludes the Pixel 6. This includes a problem that causes certain apps to restart intermittently, an issue that blocks users from making calls on specific MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) networks, and also improves “auto-rotation response in certain device orientations.”