Google investigating Pixel 2 XL screen burn-in reports

The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, Google’s latest flagship phones, were made available last week. The new handsets have been met with much excitement, as you might expect, but also some worrying reports.

Last week, we discussed comments that had appeared online regarding the Pixel 2 XL’s display, namely that it seemed undersaturated, and that it suffered some kind of blockiness/distortion in low-light. We looked at the situation in more depth over the weekend and concluded that it might be enough to make one reconsider purchasing the device.

Subsequently, reports of another potential screen problem have appeared online, this time related to burn-in.Screen burn-in is an issue that typically affects OLED screens as they age. Because the light producing components of a screen decay at different rates depending on what is being displayed, those which are active longer/used more are worn faster than those that aren’t. This is why displaying a static image — like a navigation bar on a phone — can be particularly problematic: this area often displays a very saturated (black) image whenever the phone is in use. The result is that a trace is sometimes left behind when the screen is switched off after extended periods of use, and it can be permanent (or it can be temporary, as with “screen retention”).

It usually takes a while for this kind of display wear to build up depending on factors like screen brightness, the image being displayed, and the type of hardware — it could take years. However, according to Alex Dobie of Android Central, this is apparent on the Google Pixel 2 XL he has been using after just a week or normal use: check it out below.What this looks like is that the nav bar across the bottom of the screen has already been burnt into the display, while the navigation buttons don’t appear to have decayed in the same way. Dobie also went on to say that this wasn’t noticeable on the regular Pixel 2, just the XL.

Google has since responded in a statement to The Verge. It’s mostly waffle, but the company does address the issue in the last sentence.

The Pixel 2 XL screen has been designed with an advanced POLED technology, including QHD+ resolution, wide color gamut, and high contrast ratio for natural and beautiful colors and renderings. We put all of our products through extensive quality testing before launch and in the manufacturing of every unit. We are actively investigating this report.