Pixel 3a Issue: Random Shutdown And The Fallout

Several Google Pixel 3a users found themselves at the receiving end of a software issue over the last couple weeks. Users found that their phone will shut down – seemingly at random. The only fix seems to be a hard reset, which apparently does not do the trick for longer than a few hours at a time.

Users realtimeanalytics, Ravoz, Nfuzzy, gold_bull, Deazyl, migeul35, Zephyrical16, and EnragedAardvark reported in to a pair of Reddit threads about the issue in the past 24 hours. As always, there's a chance this is all a hoax and/or all the users are trying to get that sweet, sweet upvote karma – but it's far more likely the issue is real. It's also likely this issue is hardware-related on Google's manufacturing side.

Users have reported an apparent rogue shutdown that'll only alleviate itself with a hard restart. They they find that the random shutdowns increase in regularity as time progresses. Even in Safe Mode, it would seem the shutdowns do not end.

The issue seems similar to what went down with the Google/Huawei Nexus 6P bootloops issue and subsequent settlement. Google also had software issues with the Google Pixel 3 camera app and a bit of a Pixel 1 issue with backup data.

The last hardware-specific issue Google had with a phone (of their own making) was an apparent display oddity with the Pixel 2 XL. A number of users complained that their display wasn't bright or colorful as should've been expected, and that they'd experienced a strange blue hue to the screen. Google responded with a display-emboldening software update.

The good news on the Google Pixel 3a is the apparent ease with which users are dealing with T-Mobile, Best Buy, and Google regarding fixes and returns. Several users have reported helpful phone calls and replacement units in quick order. Google's likely crossing fingers the issue isn't far more widespread than previous issues – and that it's nowhere near as much of a clusterflump than the old Huawei issue – or the new Huawei issue.