Pixel users facing Gboard freezing, Garmin Watch issues, and Payoneer refund delays as Google's smartphone market share grows in US

Google’s Pixel line just hit a new milestone in the United States, sliding into fourth place with a 3 percent share of second-quarter shipments. Behind the scenes, however, owners are juggling three separate headaches that are stealing the spotlight from the good news.

Gboard freezes mid-sentence, restarts barely help

Scroll through Reddit and you’ll find post after post of Pixel 7, 8, 9 and even fresh-out-of-the-box 9 Pro XL owners complaining that Gboard simply gives up in the middle of a text. There are even a couple of recent complaints on Google’s community forums about the problem. The keyboard either locks solid, vanishes entirely or needs a force-stop dance before it will come back for another sentence or two.

Some users have already wiped the app, cleared cache, rolled back updates and tried Safe Mode, yet the stutter returns as soon as they open Messages or WhatsApp. The timing points to the July security patch or a recent Gboard update, but Google hasn’t posted an official fix timeline. For now, the workaround is equal parts tedious and temporary: force-stop the keyboard, wait for the crash pop-up, then hope it lasts long enough to finish a reply.

I’m not sure if I’m lucky or just don’t use my Pixel enough to notice this bug. Either way, let’s hope Google fixes the problem sooner rather than later. Pixel users have already been dealing with a deteriorating typing experience on Gboard in recent months.

Garmin Connect bug after Android 16 update

Fitness fans who pair a Garmin watch to their Pixel have a different gripe. Since the Android 16 rollout, the Garmin Connect companion app keeps dropping the Bluetooth tether. Runs and bike rides stall mid-track, heart-rate alerts go silent and watch faces refuse to sync until the phone is rebooted.

Garmin’s own forums and the Pixel support threads are stacked with Venu 3, Vivoactive 5, and Fenix owners describing the same dropouts. Some users are even complaining about it on Reddit.

Neither company has pinned the blame on the other, but the pattern is clear: Pixel phones on Android 16 plus Garmin Connect equals frustration. One user mentioned that they managed to solve the problem by deleting the Connect app, then reinstalling it and pairing the watch again. You can give this a shot if nothing else helps.

Payoneer refund maze for Pixel 6a battery program

Down in Australia, some Pixel 6a owners caught up in the ACCC-mandated battery refund program are still waiting for their money weeks after approval. Google routed the payments through Payoneer, a global payouts platform that many customers had never used before.

Signing up is straightforward on paper: create a Payoneer account, pass identity checks, link a bank, then wait. In practice, users report stalled transfers, surprise “closed account” flags and customer-service queues that stretch for days. One step-by-step guide posted to Reddit (and quickly up-voted to the top of r/Pixel6aUsers) walks people through screenshots. You can check out the embed below:

Judging by comments on some threads, it seems Google is processing the payment in 5 – 8 days in most cases. So once you follow the guide and claim your refund, expect it to arrive in a week’s time. Also, if you’re one of many who’re worried about Payoneer and its authenticity, don’t. It’s a credible financial services platform and has been used by the likes of Google to process refunds previously too.

Pixel market share gets a bump in the US

Taken together, the three issues feel like classic growing pains for a brand that finally cracked the top four in the US, behind Apple, Samsung, and Motorola. Canalys says Pixel shipments rose 13 percent year over year, yet Google now has to service that larger base with the same lean support staff.

The timing is awkward. August’s Pixel 10 launch is only weeks away, and early marketing is already promising “subtle but meaningful upgrades.” If Gboard, Garmin pairing and refund logistics aren’t smoothed out by then, the narrative could quickly shift from “Google is climbing the charts” to “Google can’t handle the spotlight.” Especially as concerns about Pixel devices are growing, as multiple Pixel 6a devices have caught fire.

Feel free to share your thoughts on all these developments in the comments below.