The fingerprint scanner on the Google Pixel 6 is somehow plagued with more problems. This time, it seems to stop working altogether when the phone runs out of charge.
Several members of the r/GooglePixel subreddit on Reddit (via Android Police) have complained that they can no longer unlock their Pixel 6s with their fingerprints after the battery runs out. User comments indicate that Google is aware of the issue, but no specific fix has yet been received.
From accounts in the Reddit thread, the problem seems to be quite devastating: according to Redditors, the scanner remains dead even after rebooting the phone, and attempts to reset the fingerprint reader or register a new finger will result in a mid-scan process error, and some even claim that the relevant section of the security menu disappears entirely.
Reddit users speculate that the November security patch may be the cause of this problem, but some users experiencing this issue are still applying the October patch.
Note that Tom's Guide reviewers have not yet encountered this issue. Also, part of the testing process for the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro may cause a fully charged phone to run out of battery in the battery test. Our review unit's fingerprint sensor continued to function even after the battery was drained multiple times.
Fortunately, the bug seems to disappear with a factory reset, which is the only solution Google representatives were able to offer beyond what was recorded in the company's Issue Tracker. A reset means that it will take longer to back up, wipe, and re-set up the phone, but at least it's a fix you can do yourself with minimal risk to the device and your data.
For now, the best course of action seems to be to make sure the Pixel 6 never runs out of charge. This is because the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro did not have very good battery life after TG's custom battery tests. Therefore, it might be a good idea to have one of the best power banks on hand.
Even though the Google Pixel 6 has been in users' hands for less than a month, we are already hearing about some issues. First, the fingerprint scanner is very slow (which Google says is due to security enhancements), and then there are reports of screen glitches, ghost dialing, and issues with both Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity.
Overall, the Pixel 6 looks great and it is a shame that Google shipped it with so many problems. Both the base model and the Pixel 6 Pro take great photos and have many intelligent software capabilities, such as live translation made possible by the new Tensor chipset.
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