Google today responded to the growing chorus of Pixel 2 users complaining of inaccurate color representation and burn-in on the larger XL model.
Mario Queiroz, Vice President of Product Management claims each phone undergoes rigorous quality control screening and that the burn-in effect, referred to as “differential aging,” is in line with other mobile devices with OLED screens. Queiroz says the team took the investigation seriously, starting on October 22 with the first reported issue, and determined the Pixel 2 XL’s differential aging is “in line with other premium smartphones and should not affect the normal, day-to-day user experience.”
As for color representation, this seems to be more of an issue of preference. Google opted for a more realistic look instead of the heavy saturation of some other smartphone manufacturers, like Samsung. Queiroz acknowledges that some prefer more saturated colors, and says the team will be adding a new mode to increase saturation “in the next few weeks.”
This, in addition to the option already included in Pixel 2 devices to increase saturation by 10 percent to provide a more vivid look for those who prefer it. You can enable this by going to Settings > Display > Advanced and toggling “Vivid colors” on.
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Queiroz failed to address other issues, such as the blue-green tint when viewing from an angle, or the graininess experienced by some users.
Aside from an upcoming software update, Google plans to extend the warranty on all Pixel 2 devices. Owners of either the Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL will now get a full two year warranty, worldwide.
We’ve reached out to Google for further comment and will update this piece if necessary.
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