Pixel 6 Can't Fly Some DJI Drones Because Of An Incompatible App
It's not really that unusual for some mobile apps to stop working on newer phones, especially if the app hasn't been updated in years. It's a completely different situation, however, if the app in question comes from a large and popular brand that does support the latest smartphones. That's the rather puzzling and infuriating situation that new Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro owners have suddenly found themselves in after discovering that they can no longer fly their DJI drones. The company's response, however, added insult to injury.
On the one hand, it might not exactly be too surprising for DJI owners and fans who have been keeping a close eye on the company's products. Officially speaking, not even the Pixel 5 is listed in the company's supported mobile devices, after all. On the other hand, the phone works just fine with the DJI Fly app, so Pixel 6 owners can't be blamed for expecting the same situation with Google's latest flagship.
Unfortunately, that isn't the case, and owners of some DJI models are forced to decide between their new phone and their favorite drone. Several such owners are reporting that DJI's Fly app only shows a black screen instead of the usual video feed, making the app practically useless. In fact, some are reporting that DJI's other apps also crashed immediately on Pixel 6 phones.
DroneDJ reports that a DJI representative suggested using another phone just to be able to use the DJI Fly app. Unsurprisingly, that was met with harsh criticism and backlash since not everyone has the capacity to keep another phone just to fly a drone. DJI could always argue that it never promised the Pixel 6 to be compatible with the app, but few buyers are able to check those technical specifications first, especially if they're not located in a discoverable place.
There's also the mystery of why the app wouldn't work on the Pixel 6 in the first place, especially if it has no problem working on other Android phones. It's especially puzzling considering this is Google's flagship, not an old phone from some lesser-known company. As one person put it, there would have been an even bigger uproar if it was discovered that DJI's app didn't support the iPhone 13.
DJI did acknowledge the issue and had at least promised to pay attention to it and resolve it ASAP. That said, it also adds that "if it bothers you a lot," affected users should borrow or use a compatible phone, echoing the earlier recommendation. It's definitely a disappointing and almost insulting response, and it doesn't exactly inspire much hope if last year's Pixel 5 hasn't exactly been added to the official list yet in the first place.
Update: This same issue has also been reported to impact other devices running Android 12. Many reviews for DJI's mobile apps on the Google Play Store include complaints about lack of functionality on Android 12 devices beyond the Pixel 6, though it remains unclear whether that is due to the same issue impacting support for Google's latest smartphone.