Google Pixel and Pixel XL owners are having some issues with transferring files from Apple MacBooks, and the root cause may lie in the old Android File Transfer program.
Google's latest flagships are widely considered to be the best smartphones of 2016 and they have plenty of bells and whistles, but they also have their fair share of problems marring the experience.
Since their release, the Google Pixel and Pixel XL have been plagued by a number of issues including manufacturing defects, camera issues, battery shutdown, freezing and prolonged unresponsiveness, connectivity problems, audio issues and more.
More recently, users have been reporting issues when trying to transfer files from a MacBook to a Pixel or Pixel XL smartphone using the Google Pixel USB-C to USB-A cable that comes in the box.
Google Pixel File Transfer Issues
Google Pixel and Pixel XL owners took to Google's Product Forums, XDA, and Reddit to complain about the issue and it seems that it's quite widespread, affecting a large number of users.
According to a new report from 9to5Google, it seems that Google's old Android File Transfer program might be to blame and an update is long overdue. The last update was all the way back in 2012.
The publication says it was able to replicate the problem when transferring certain file types from various MacBook models to the Google Pixel. While some file types work just fine, others have trouble transferring.
Android File Transfer To Blame
Suspecting at first that the USB Type-C cable might be the issue, 9to5Google conducted further tests and discovered that the cable works without issues with another file transfer app called HandShaker.
With this in mind, it would seem that the problem is not the stock USB Type-C cable bundled in the box with the Google Pixel and Pixel XL, but rather the antiquated Google File Transfer software.
9to5Google points out that the software had its last update on Oct. 15, 2012, with no further tweaking since. That's a shockingly long time without an update and a minor bug in the program is most likely causing the transfer issues between Apple MacBooks and Google Pixel and Pixel XL smartphones.
If this is indeed the case and the root cause of the issue is the old Android File Transfer program, a simple update to patch the bug should solve the issue with no complications.
USB Type-C was not even publicly available back in 2012 when the Android File Transfer software got its last update, so an update should ensure better compatibility between devices and file types.
That said, Google is yet to acknowledge whether Android File Transfer is indeed the cause of the transfer issues and, if so, when it plans to issue an update.
Until it does, Google Pixel and Pixel XL owners who are experiencing issues when trying to transfer some types of files from their MacBook laptop could try handling the process with another file transferring application.
Are you experiencing the same Google Pixel transfer issues? Share your experience in the comments section below.
