Google Yanks Android Q Beta 4 Update Following Pixel Bootloop Mayhem

For developers and enthusiasts looking to get an early taste of the next version of Google’s Android operating system, the release of new betas is always a highly-anticipated event. And while there's always the promise of cool new features and performance enhancements, there's always the possibility that things could go wrong with this early software -- after all, it is still in beta.

Such is the case with Android Q Beta 4, which first landed earlier this week. Almost immediately, Pixel owners began complaining about problems with the over-the-air (OTA) update. Many users said that the Beta 4 update failed to install and, in some cases, put them into reboot hell. Others were cast into recovery mode following a failed update.

"Holy crap, this broke my Pixel 2. Can someone help me out? Said the update failed and I have to try again or factory reset," wrote InfernalSimian on reddit. "Like someone else suggested I tried booting into recovery mode. Well, now I'm stuck. I can't factory reset or start the OS, only select these menu options that do nothing."

Google has heard all of the cries for help and has "temporarily paused" the Android Q Beta 4 OTA update. It appears that Google pushed out the update before it was fully baked in the oven. The company writes via a reddit post:

We're aware of an issue with Android Q Beta 4 related to installing updates. We've temporarily paused Beta 4 OTA updates to all Pixel devices as we investigate the issue. We apologize for any inconvenience, and will provide an update once the issue is resolved.

This freeze on Android Q Beta 4 OTA updates is not limited to just Pixel devices; all devices eligible for the software update will have to wait until Google is able to fix whatever gremlins are plaguing the release. We'll keep you updated as to when Google is ready to give the green light to a revised build of the OTA builds for Android Q Beta 4.