K3CAN

Not much of a post here, but I figured I share an issue I've encountered with my Google Pixel 8 Pro.

A few weeks ago, my Pixel phone started reporting "no connection" and prompting to "insert SIM card."  I first tired removing the SIM card and cleaning it with some IPA, and then doing some common "fixes", such as resetting the network settings and toggling airplane mode on and off.  I did find that rebooting the phone entirely would remedy the problem temporarily, but that it would return hours or even mere minutes later.

I then began trying more drastic measures... I first requested an eSIM from my carrier. I thought that perhaps the SIM reader may have been physically damaged in some way, and thought that an eSIM might be the solution. Bizarrely, my carrier insisted that only iPhones support eSIMs and refused to provide me with an eSIM code to use, even after I explained that the Pixel phones do, in fact, support eSIMs (and have supported them even before Apple hardware did).  I was considering changing carriers, anyway, so I figured this was a good time to finally switch.  I signed up with a new carrier and received my new eSIM code right away.

I was expecting that I had finally found the solution to the problem, and was quite disappointed when a few hours after switching, I was greeted by the same "insert SIM" messages and lack of service.  

Now that it was clearly not a SIM issue, I started digging a little deeper. Enabling ADB, I was able to pull system logs from the phone via logcat. I found that there appeared to be a number of errors surrounding the cellular modem, which I suspect are responsible for the sudden connectivity issues. 

Here are the logs:

11-19 06:52:23.274 24777 24784 I modem_svc: State Monitor: Modem state changed from BOOTING to OFFLINE
11-19 06:52:23.287   949  1017 I modem_ml_svc: Poll timeout. interval=3000
11-19 06:52:23.288   949  1017 I modem_ml_svc: Modem state changed from 3 to 0
11-19 06:52:26.278 24777 24784 I modem_svc: Poll timeout. interval=3000
11-19 06:52:26.278 24777 24784 I modem_svc: State Monitor: Modem state changed from OFFLINE to BOOTING
11-19 06:52:26.290   949  1017 I modem_ml_svc: Poll timeout. interval=3000
11-19 06:52:26.290   949  1017 I modem_ml_svc: Modem state changed from 0 to 3
11-19 06:52:29.282 24777 24784 I modem_svc: Poll timeout. interval=500
11-19 06:52:29.294   949  1017 I modem_ml_svc: Poll timeout. interval=3000
11-19 06:52:32.288 24777 24784 I modem_svc: Poll timeout. interval=500
11-19 06:52:32.298   949  1017 I modem_ml_svc: Poll timeout. interval=3000
11-19 06:52:34.816  1089  1089 I cbd     : Picking unzipped modem image from /mnt/vendor/modem_img/images/default//modem.bin
11-19 06:52:34.816  1089  1089 I cbd     : Binary type specified path /mnt/vendor/modem_img/images/default//modem.bin is selected
11-19 06:52:34.811     1     1 W /system/bin/init: type=1107 audit(0.0:10975): uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 subj=u:r:init:s0 msg='avc:  denied  { set } for property=telephony.ril.modem_bin_status pid=425 uid=0 gid=0 scontext=u:r:vendor_init:s0 tcontext=u:object_r:default_prop:s0 tclass=property_service permissive=0' bug=b/315104235
11-19 06:52:34.819  1089  1089 I cbd     : BIN(/mnt/vendor/modem_img/images/default//modem.bin) opened (fd 0)
11-19 06:52:34.819   425   425 W libc    : Unable to set property "telephony.ril.modem_bin_status" to "4": PROP_ERROR_PERMISSION_DENIED (0x18)
11-19 06:52:34.820  1089  1089 I cbd     : CP binary file = /mnt/vendor/modem_img/images/default//modem.bin
11-19 06:52:34.820  1089  1089 I cbd     : CP REPLAY file = /mnt/vendor/modem_userdata/replay_region.bin
11-19 06:52:34.821  1089  1089 I cbd     : BIN(/mnt/vendor/modem_img/images/default//modem.bin) opened (fd 4)
11-19 06:52:34.823     1     1 W /system/bin/init: type=1107 audit(0.0:10976): uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 subj=u:r:init:s0 msg='avc:  denied  { set } for property=telephony.ril.modem_bin_status pid=425 uid=0 gid=0 scontext=u:r:vendor_init:s0 tcontext=u:object_r:default_prop:s0 tclass=property_service permissive=0' bug=b/315104235
11-19 06:52:34.827   425   425 W libc    : Unable to set property "telephony.ril.modem_bin_status" to "4": PROP_ERROR_PERMISSION_DENIED (0x18)

What you see above just kept repeating.

I don't know very much about Android specifically, but I don't think I should be seeing system processes returning permission errors.  I recall from back in the Nexus days, that the radio images usually had their own separate partition, so I briefly looked into whether I could reflash the radio partition, but I didn't see any factory images available. Perhaps that's not how the devices function any more.

In any case, I ultimately decided that it might just be easier to contact Pixel Support, since my phone is still under warranty.
I chatted with a support agent for a couple minutes and explained my problem and the troubleshooting steps I had tried. Not long after, I had a replacement unit ordered. I received confirmation from FedEx the next day that I had an overnight delivery inbound.  

This isn't the first time that I've had unsolvable issues with a Google phone. In fact, my Nexus 6P, Pixel 7 Pro and my current Pixel 8 Pro will have all been replaced at least once now. The only Google phone that never had an issue was my Pixel 5, which ironically I believe was also the cheapest. That said, Pixel Support has generally been helpful and willing to send a replacement device without much fuss. Their Advanced Exchange program even allows several weeks to transfer things to the replacement device before the old device needs to be sent back. 

I really wish that Essential had made a sequel to the PH1, as that was an excellent phone with a very clean version of Android. In some ways, the PinePhone feels like a bit of a spiritual successor, though, particularly with its expandability potential.   Maybe it'll finally be a viable alternative to the Pixel line for someone who refuses to touch another Samsung phone.