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Google just started fixing the Pixel 4

Published Nov 5th, 2019 6:50AM EST
Pixel 4 Smooth Display
Image: Zach Epstein, BGR

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The Pixel 4 hit stores only a few days ago, and just like every Pixel phone that preceded it, the phone launched with several issues that Google needs to fix — it’s a sort of Pixel tradition. Smooth Display issues and 3D Face Unlock security are two things Google confirmed it’ll fix via software updates, and the first one has just arrived, with improvements for the Pixel 4’s 90Hz display.

Smooth Display is a feature not many competing smartphones have, not even the iPhone 11 or the Galaxy Note 10. But 90Hz display was set to only work when the screen brightness was set above 75%, a detail users noticed soon after the phone was launched.

Google on Monday released the latest security update for Pixel phones that provides patches for known security issues, but also brings over the Smooth Display improvements to Pixel 4 users — the update also contains unspecified camera quality improvements for the same phone.

Anecdotal evidence from users who’ve installed the update indicates that the fixes work, and Smooth Display keeps working even when the brightness drops to 0%. A Redditor has noticed a display issue at low brightness, a green tint that appears while the screen switches between 60Hz and 90Hz once you touch the screen — the following video shows it in action:

Still, what matters here is that Google issues a fast fix for this particular problem, so you can enjoy Smooth Display without having to worry about brightness, or how to fix the issue yourself. Will the new Smooth Display settings affect battery life? There’s no definitive answer to that yet, as the software update just dropped, but mileage might vary.

Chris Smith Senior Writer

Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.