Some Google Pixel models are suffering from a serious bug that locks the phone when trying to call emergency services. It's terrible, but a fix will be released.

Reddit user KitchenPictures5849 drew attention to the issue in a post on the r/GooglePixel subreddit. Their story detailed how their Pixel 3 (running Android 11) froze after calling 911 about their grandmother. The phone was able to switch between apps, but nothing else, and they were unable to speak to the operator on the other end of the line. Fortunately, the user was able to call another phone to get help, but this was obviously a major problem.

The problem has since been replicated at Google, and the company now says that Microsoft Teams is to blame. The user had the app installed but was not logged in, and the unusual interaction between the app and Android itself caused the 911 problem. (More problems have been found with Teams on Android since this article was first published.) [The GoogleCommunity Reddit account stated in a reply to the original thread that "Google and Microsoft have made this issue a top priority and we expect an update to the Microsoft Teams app to be available soon. He added that an Android update is scheduled for January 4 as an additional measure.

Google said it is aware of only one report of this issue, but gave advice on how to avoid it:

If you are using an Android phone running Android 10 or later, not just the Pixel, you should follow these tips:

Update and check the Google Reddit post linked above on a regular basis if you want to make sure you don't miss anything. The author promises to update the post once all users have access to Microsoft Teams updates.