A new Android stability bug causes frozen apps and unusable UI - Android

A new Android stability bug has surfaced online as users are reporting random app freezes and UI lockups (h/t: Android Police). The issue appears to affect Google Pixel devices mainly, but a few users with OnePlus and Xiaomi devices have reported the problem too, suggesting it could be more widespread.

A OnePlus user tried to highlight the bug in a screen recording. Check out the video they posted on Twitter:

I am the only one with this kind of issues from time to time? Random apps just freeze and I have to close it from recent apps #oneplus pic.twitter.com/PfjZKVlk1e

— Cosmin Buzle (@CBuzle) April 16, 2020

A few of us at Android Authority have noticed the issue on our latest Pixel 4 XL devices in recent weeks. For us, waking the device when an app is running sometimes leads to a frozen device. The only way to fix the issue is to lock and unlock the phone again, though this is not a permanent solution.

Others note that the freezes occur randomly and not just when they unlock their devices. Still, the most common way to fix the issue is to lock and unlock the device again.

Read also: Exynos Galaxy S20 Ultra now has a Hulk problem

A few users have suggested swiping down on the device fingerprint scanner to bring down the notification shade can fix this issue. This would only work on devices that support the functionality like the Pixel 2 and Pixel 3 series.

Most affected devices appear to be running Android 10, but a few people using the Android 11 developer preview have also noticed the issue. There also doesn’t seem to be one set of apps that cause the bug, with notable culprits including Amazon, Chrome, the Play Store, Twitter, YouTube, and more.

Google has yet to make a statement on the matter. Hopefully, the company will release a patch in the coming days or weeks.

Have you experienced this new Android stability bug? If so, let us know what device you’re using in the comments below.

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