Android bug prevents users from calling emergency services

IT Pro

Google has verified an issue impacting some customers managing Android 10 and earlier mentioned whereby a user’s phone would not permit them to dial the emergency services.

The modest but major bug influences some gadgets that have Microsoft Groups app set up, but without having becoming logged in to the collaboration platform, Google explained on Wednesday evening in reaction to a Reddit thread.

Google claimed it and Microsoft took the issue very seriously and included that the pair “are heavily prioritising the issue”.  Nevertheless, the company was fairly vague when alluding to the time it will take to deal with the flaw. 

In the Reddit reply, Google stated that a Microsoft Groups app update will be rolled out “quickly”. It also suggested Android people really should normally operate the most recent model of the cell running procedure and lookout for the next prepared system update because of on 4 January 2022.

IT Pro contacted Google for clarity on irrespective of whether it impacts people in the UK but it declined to comment additional.

Google said the issue was brought on by an “unintended conversation amongst the Microsoft Groups app and the fundamental Android operating system”, and that only a person person report of the issue was confirmed – the user who produced the preliminary Reddit thread on the Google Pixel subreddit.

On short term fixes, Google advised buyers test if they’re jogging Android 10 or earlier mentioned, sign into Groups if they usually are not already and continue being signed in, reinstall Groups, and update the Teams application as quickly as the update is obtainable.

The consumer who originally lifted the issue reported they were being trying to get in touch with an ambulance for their grandmother who appeared to be acquiring a stroke at the time but was not able to and that dialling 911 merely rang as soon as ahead of their phone come to be “caught”.

“I was unable to do just about anything other than simply click as a result of applications with an emergency phone phone jogging in the qualifications,” said the consumer in the original report. “This is all although the phone informed me that it experienced sent my location to crisis expert services. Regrettably I could not inform the person on the other close what condominium I was in, or what the genuine emergency was as I was unable to speak to a human.”

The good news is, the grandmother hand a landline phone and was able to call from that but with so numerous households opting out of landlines in favour of mobile-only connectivity, it provides a extremely serious issue of personalized safety.

The user said they were being using a Google Pixel 3 functioning Android 11 and on the Verizon network and have submitted an official complaint with the Federal Communications Fee (FCC).

Readers to the put up were stunned to read about the scenario and offered an outpouring of assistance, labelling it a “horrifying circumstance”.

Other people recommended that Google should really provide the person a prize akin to just one that may well be given to a security researcher given that the report and ensuing cooperation in reporting the bug to Google was substantially like the procedure ordinarily followed by a security skilled submitting for a bug bounty reward.

Some parts of this article are sourced from:
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