Android 12 is now available to install on Pixel and non-Pixel phones alike but users on the latter devices may want to wait. That’s based on a recent Twitter post from Android Police’s Max Weinbach. According to the tweets, both Mr. Weinbach’s OnePlus 9 Pro and Xiaomi Mi 11 were rendered inoperable due to the beta firmware update.
Two different Android 12 problems for two different non-Pixel devices
Now, according to the tweets, the update software for non-Pixel devices didn’t exactly brick both phones in question. So the apparent issue here doesn’t appear to hit every device the same. In fact, the OnePlus 9 Pro that’s been updated simply can’t finalize the update. According to Mr. Weinbach, colorful language aside, the device is unable to finish its setup after the update. Instead, it’s trapped in a boot loop. Meaning that it keeps restarting itself.
The Xiaomi Mi 11, on the other hand, is bricked. That essentially means that the phone won’t even start up or do anything, let alone gain access to all of the new Android 12 goodies that are arriving with the software.
Some caution may be necessary
Commenters on the thread, conversely, state that the update has worked on their devices. That includes some commenters claiming it has worked on the same devices that failed to update properly for Mr. Weinbach. So there may be some other problem with the software that simply hasn’t been worked out yet. And that may be applicable only to the specific software environment, from the start, on the phones that are now inoperable.
Given that the Android 12 beta is still in its first public, non-developer release after having been announced at Google I/O 2021, it may be best for most users to avoid installing the update on their handsets.
At the very least, users should probably wait for the second Android 12 beta release to install the update on their non-Pixel handsets. Although some users are claiming to have encountered similar issues on Pixel-branded smartphones. So some caution may be advisable for those handsets as well.
Do not install non-Google betas on your phones right now. My OP9 Pro is basically fucked, unable to setup and keeps bootlooping and my Mi 11 is bricked. Avoid these betas for now.
— Max Weinbach (@MaxWinebach) May 18, 2021