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Re:YouTube video causes Pixel phones to instantly reboot by jqpabc123 on Tuesday February 28, 2023 @12:22PM (#34972025)
Google has lots of tricks for remotely changing how a phone works, like the ability to disable or enable code paths without pushing an update.

You may have possession of the hardware but Google is the real owner of it.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:YouTube video causes Pixel phones to instantly reboot by jotato on Tuesday February 28, 2023 @12:40PM (#34972295)
So in other words, a feature flag? Widely used trick - if you want to call it that - in software
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Re:YouTube video causes Pixel phones to instantly reboot by jqpabc123 on Tuesday February 28, 2023 @01:54PM (#34973258)
Google's remote capabilities and control over your Android phone extend well beyond a "flag".

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/google-force-...

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:YouTube video causes Pixel phones to instantly reboot by red-iron-pine on Tuesday February 28, 2023 @02:07PM (#34973418)
Pixels are the easiest phones to slap a different image on. Get LineageOS on there, or whatever random and shady software you download off of XDA-Devs.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:YouTube video causes Pixel phones to instantly reboot by Yeahsureok on Tuesday February 28, 2023 @02:34PM (#34973754)
Modern pixels only got the ability to run lineageos a week ago.

https://www.knowyourmobile.com/news/lineageos-20-finally-add...

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:YouTube video causes Pixel phones to instantly reboot by kevviiinn on Tuesday February 28, 2023 @02:23PM (#34973619)
Or even better: grapheneos
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:YouTube video causes Pixel phones to instantly reboot by fyloraspit on Tuesday February 28, 2023 @02:31PM (#34973715)
That's only true if you continue to use their software
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:YouTube video causes Pixel phones to instantly reboot by jqpabc123 on Tuesday February 28, 2023 @03:04PM (#34974077)
Which means it is true in the overwhelming majority of cases.

Personally, I use e/OS/.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:YouTube video causes Pixel phones to instantly reboot by gbro3n on Tuesday February 28, 2023 @01:32PM (#34972952)
This is like the Janet Jackson song that crashed Windows Laptops, and even other laptops in proximity due to resonant frequencies in the song affecting hard drives: https://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20220816-00/?p=10... Rhythm Nation (https://amzn.to/3Zc4QNc) was the song!
[ Parent | on HN ]