Unless you have a real thing for shiny bricks, you should avoid WIND Mobile’s latest software update for the 2014 Moto X at all costs. Large numbers of users are reporting that the release is rendering their handset completely unusable, and there doesn’t appear to be an easy fix.

Yes, we know you’re itching to get your hands on that long-awaited Android 5.0 Lollipop update — but you’ll be glad you waited a little longer for this one.

“I’m with Wind in Canada, and I had the Android L update pushed to my phone around 5pm EST,” describes one Redditor. “I got home, downloaded, and ran the update. Now my phone is stuck boot looping.”

Unfortunately, this isn’t an isolated issue; many more users are reporting the same problem after installing the update, and it seems there is no going back. Once the update has been installed, your handset will be pretty much unusable.

Some users report being able to access the recovery and bootloader, but a factory reset doesn’t fix the issue. Not even downgrading to a KitKat ROM will bring the handset back to life.

The only bit of good news is that WIND is aware of the problem, and it says it is working with Motorola on a solution. If you take your handset to a warranty center, however, they won’t be able to help, so all you can do for now is sit and wait.

“MotoX users experiencing update issues w/ Android L – we’re working with @Motorola_CA to address the matter,” WIND confirmed on Twitter. “Sorry for any inconvenience.”

Yes, it’s incredibly frustrating — especially if you’ve already installed the upgrade. Bugs and broken features are one thing, but bricked handsets that cannot be turned on shouldn’t happen with over-the-air updates.

Keep an eye on WIND’s Twitter feed for further developments on this issue, and again, avoid any software updates for the time being.

• SourceWIND Mobile
• ViaAndroid Police