Foldable phone owners are reporting that Android Auto fails to place outgoing calls when their devices are closed. Posts on Reddit and on Google and Motorola forums describe calls not connecting, with one user seeing a message to "flip open to continue." Incoming calls appear to work normally. The reports mostly involve Motorola Razr Ultra models with Android 16, though a Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 was also mentioned.
The timing has drawn attention to Gemini. Several users say the problem started only after they began using Gemini, and one Reddit poster said switching back to Google Assistant restored outgoing calls while the phone was closed. That workaround is now less practical: Google began removing Assistant from eligible phones on September 4, 2026, pushing Gemini as the replacement.
Google and Motorola have not issued a fix, and company representatives are reportedly collecting information from affected users. For now, the only reliable workaround is to make calls with the phone open. The episode highlights the friction that can arise when AI tools are integrated into core device functions before they are fully polished, and some users in the forums say they are seeking non-AI alternatives as a result.