Pixel 2, 2 XL owners bugged by camera failure post updates

Several Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2XL users are said to be facing major camera issues after recent software updates, including capturing images or failing to view photos in the camera app’s viewfinder.

Several Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2XL users are said to be facing major camera issues after recent software updates, including capturing images or failing to view photos in the camera app’s viewfinder. (AP)

Several Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2XL users are said to be facing major camera issues after recent software updates, including capturing images or failing to view photos in the camera app's viewfinder.

The camera UI shows briefly, but the viewfinder remains black. Some users report that using the app shortcut for the front-facing selfie camera works just fine, so whatever issue is happening seems isolated to the rear sensor.

Resetting the camera app, rolling back to previous versions, or resetting the entire phone does nothing to rectify the issue. What's more, any app that uses the camera encounters the same problem, including Instagram, Whatsapp, and others, Android Police reported late on Friday.

Issues in the Google Pixel 2 camera app began surfacing last year post the Android 10 operating system (OS) update.

More recently, an uptick in reports started with bigger "Pixel feature drop" December update. Either way, the precise cause for the issue isn't known, though in most cases it seems to crop up following a specific update, the report added.