Ryan Haines / Android Authority
TL;DR
- A YouTube video is forcing the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro to reboot almost spontaneously.
- The issue might have something to do with color processing on the phones.
- Some Pixel 6 and 6a users are also unable to run the video.
Something strange is afoot with the Pixel 7 series. According to multiple reports on Reddit (h/t Mishaal Rahman), playing a specific YouTube video is causing people’s Pixel 7 and 7 Pro to reboot without warning.
The video in question is a 4K HDR movie clip. I played it on my Pixel 7, and as reported by people on the Reddit thread, the phone spontaneously rebooted. The reboot only occurs if you open the video using the YouTube app. The issue also seems to be affecting some Pixel 6 and Pixel 6a users but is mainly limited to the current Google flagships.
Before you try this at home, know that certain Pixel 7/7 Pro users lost cellular connectivity after the reboot. However, restarting the phone seems to resolve that problem. In our case, the Pixel 7 switched on normally, complete with carrier connectivity, after the YouTube video forced the reboot.
Some folks on Reddit are comparing this strange phenomenon to the infamous wallpaper crashing Samsung and Google phones back in 2020. Similar to what happened back then, some Redditors think there’s an issue with HDR processing on the Pixel 7 series.
Meanwhile, some people are already taking advantage of the issue and sending the video to unsuspecting Pixel 7 users as a prank. Google hasn’t officially responded to the problem.
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