Google Pixel phones crashing after playing this 'spooky' YouTube video

Google’s Pixel 7 series is experiencing an unusual problem. As per reports on Reddit, a specific YouTube video is causing the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro to restart without any warning.

According to Android Authority, the video causing the issue is a 4K HDR clip from the movie Alien. As confirmed by users on the Reddit thread, when they played the video on their Pixel 7, the device rebooted unexpectedly. This only happens when the video is opened via the YouTube app, and the problem is primarily affecting the latest Google flagships, although some Pixel 6 and Pixel 6a users have also been impacted. You can watch the video here at your own risk.

It's important to note that some Pixel 7/7 Pro users have reported losing cellular connectivity after the reboot. However, the problem seems to be resolved after restarting the phone. 

Some are also speculating that the crashing problem is caused by Google's Tensor chip because most older Snapdragon-based Pixels are able to play the video without any hiccups. Tensor chip is based on Samsung's Exynos chip and they have had similar issues with playing HDR content in the past.

Meanwhile, on Reddit, users are comparing this issue to the wallpaper crashing problems faced by Samsung and Google phones in 2020. A few people are also using this problem as an opportunity to play pranks by sending the video to unsuspecting Pixel 7 users.

Google has not yet made an official statement on this issue.

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