Some Pixel smartphone users had an unpleasant surprise after a recent update. Essential functions suddenly stop responding. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and camera become unusable without warning.
At the start of each month, Google releases a security patch for Android devices. These updates are supposed to improve system stability and fix critical flaws. That of January 2026 is no exception. However, several signals suggest that everything did not go as planned for certain users, particularly those with certain Pixel smartphones.
As we recently mentioned, the January Android security bulletin fixed a critical flaw affecting the Dolby Digital Plus codec. But the latter did not offer any fixes for the numerous bugs reported since December. Unresolved issues include inactive screens, unrecognized gestures, or unstable Always-On Display. Now, a new dysfunction worries us. After the update, some essential functions stop working completely on several Pixel models.
January 2026 update makes Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and camera on many Pixel 10s inoperable
According to information gathered by Android Authority, many Pixel 10 owners saw several key features disappear right after installing the latest system patch. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and in some cases the camera suddenly become inaccessible. Other models, like the Pixel 8, would also be affected. Several corroborating testimonies have been published on Reddit and the official forums. They describe random connection losses, unrecognized Bluetooth devices, or even a camera application that no longer launches. The situation could worsen if other models are affected in the coming weeks.
No official response has been provided by Google at this time. Some users believe that the problem is caused by a malfunction in Google Play Services. These would open too many background processes, which would disrupt the proper functioning of certain features. Network connections and access to the camera would be affected in particular. While waiting for a fix, affected users remain without a lasting solution. This outage adds to a series of unresolved bugs on Pixel smartphones, which are starting to attract strong criticism.
