Road accident for Android 14, an operating system that Google presented in its final version just a few days ago. We have already highlighted the main new features of Android 14, release of the little green robot which introduces some long-awaited features.
However, an important portion of Android 14 users seems to be affected by a serious problem bug which Google is currently managing to release one as quickly as possible patch corrective.
The issue in question has to do with accessing the content of the storage of the mobile device, therefore to the stored data. Users who are experiencing the bug in question are complaining about behavior similar to that of a ransomware attack: their data, stored on the smartphone, is no longer accessible and Android shows a wide range of errors.
Some messages are rather sinister: “Unable to open directory /data/media/0“. In some cases it isn’t not even possible to start the smartphone Android that is permanently stuck on the boot screen. The applications in use complain that there is no more space available on the phone, i file manager show a size of 0 bytes for all files and folders that are not accessible even by connecting the smartphone to the PC via USB cable.
The Android 14 bug appears on Pixels that use multiple profiles
Initially reported by some owners of Pixel 6 smartphones updated to Android 14, the problem seems to affect everyone Google Pixel devices. In fact, the complaints come from those who use Pixel 6, 6a, 7, 7a, Pixel Fold and Pixel tablet. The lowest common denominator in all cases is the use of the management mechanism multiple profiles at the Android operating system level.
The system of User Profiles of Android allows both to have multiple users on a single device (useful for tablets) and to divide the “home” and “work” profiles to keep personal and professional data separate, taking advantage of the app duplication.
Some users even report that Pixel smartphones offer to perform a restore to factory settingssomething that would really lead to the definitive loss of data stored in the smartphones affected by the bug.
As we know, in fact the data encryption it is enabled by default on the most recent Android devices (but also on older ones, for several iterations of the operating system now…). A reset of the phone, therefore, results in the loss of all previously saved information.
The good news is that Google engineers managed to reproduce the problem and “package” a corrective update. To receive it, Google Play Services must be updated on your Android device. If the affected device was stuck in a boot loop”Pixel is starting up“, the solution will arrive shortly: Google is working on some methods to unlock access to data. “We will provide more information as it becomes available“, observes the Mountain View company in an official note.
Opening image credit: iStock.com/juniorbeep
