Google released the December 2021 security patch for Android back on December 6th, but the update for Pixel phones was a bit more substantial, adding a handful of new features for most Pixel phones. The update was delayed for the Pixel 6, but now it appears the rollout has been completely halted.

Google didn't officially start rolling out the December 2021 update to the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro until December 13, but many owners of the phones were still left waiting for the upgrade (and some resorted to manually flashing it). Google has now confirmed it paused the rollout, following reports of calls dropping and disconnecting after installing the upgrade.

A Google representative wrote on the Pixel Help forums, "The Pixel team paused the December software update to Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro devices after some users reported calls were dropping or disconnecting. We have now identified a fix that will roll out in a software update by late January. This update will also include all the fixes and improvements that were originally planned in December."

That means most Pixel 6 owners, minus the people who already received the buggy update, will be stuck on the November 2021 security patch level until sometime in late January. That's not great news, but preventing people from placing calls on their phones probably isn't a preferable alternative. Google's only advice for anyone experiencing problems is to perform a factory reset while reverting to the November 2021 system image.

Many Pixel 6 owners took to social media to complain about the original rollout. "Still no network connectivity on the pixel 6 following the December update and no word from google," one person wrote, while another said, "no signal, no WiFi, no Bluetooth & battery dead in half a day all this for 19 days." XDA Developers' own Jeff Springer was experiencing signal issues and decreased battery life, and other reports mentioned the official Pixel Stand charger no longer working.

The OTA files and factory images for the December 2021 update are still available from Google's website, if you want to take your chances a (potentially) buggy update.