Feeling angry and helpless, I searched the Web hoping a fix would pop up somewhere. It turns out I wasn't alone. Users on multiple online forums had similar problems, many of which were caused by either a faulty power button or faulty software update. For me, I believe it was an update to Android 5.0.1 that caused the problem. The phone was still in near perfect condition and the power button worked fine and could still be used to shut the phone down. I called Google again and explained how I believed the software update the company had issued may have caused the problem. I was told the same thing as before -- my warranty was expired and there was nothing they could do.
I wasn't happy, but what could I do? I moved on with my life, I decided to skip Google's next phone, the Nexus 6, but that was due to the massive size of the device rather than my disappointing experience with the Nexus 5, When the more reasonably sized Nexus 6P was announced in late 2015, knew I had to have it, In hindsight, it's frightening how similar my 6P experience ended up being, The Nexus 6P was everything I could have wanted in a smartphone, It was fast, it had a great display and a good camera and it wine collection iphone case felt great in my hands, It will go down as one of my all-time favorites, even with the blemish I'm about to discuss..
After a little more than a year, the Nexus 6P randomly rebooted and remained in a bootloop. As was the case with the Nexus 5, the phone was in great condition with no modifications. It was running pure Android straight from Google. This time I was certain it was the software. A few days earlier a notification on my phone had prompted me to update it to Android 7.1.1. I contacted Google customer service (once again, as a customer and not a representative for CNET) and was given the same spiel as last time: They weren't able to fix the problem.
When reached for comment by CNET, a Google spokesperson said the company was "not aware of a bootloop issue for the Nexus 6P" and noted that "if the Nexus 6P was purchased from the Google Store, we will replace the device regardless of warranty status." I purchased mine from Best Buy, an authorized third-party retailer, and was told to contact Huawei, the phone's manufacturer, It took only a minute for the Huawei customer service representative to identify the problem, The man told me, "This is a known issue," adding that "the issue completely bricks the phone and it would need a completely new motherboard." I was shocked that a software update, one that was approved and sent directly from Google, could do this to my device, The rep informed me that "the Android update 7.1.1 caused a lot of issues on all devices."I was told that because the device was out of warranty (by only two weeks), Huawei wouldn't replace it, The customer service representative suggested I check out a local repair shop, I reached out to uBreakiFix, a repair shop recommended by Google, and was told the shop "doesn't perform motherboard replacements because it comes out to be too close to buying a used device of that same model."It seemed no one wanted to take responsibility for my broken phone, Unfortunately, I'm not the only person who experienced problems with the Nexus 6P, Despite wine collection iphone case Google's claims that it wasn't aware of any bootloop issue, users across multiple online forums complained of similar problems..
That's all fine and good, but it ultimately feels like a distinction without a difference. From my vantage point, Google's software updates bricked two phones in a row -- models that the company effectively put forth as the best Android experience at the time. As mentioned above, a Google representative told CNET that the issues with a Nexus 6P with the bootloop issue would be replaced "regardless of warranty status" -- but only if it was purchased through the Google Store. That seems crazy to me. If Apple, Microsoft and Samsung products have different warranty terms when you purchase them through their respective stores, that's news to me.
