From afar, there’s no question whatsoever that the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are Google’s best smartphones ever, including both its old Nexus line and the newer Pixel lineup. The same is true on paper, where the phones’ specs paint a picture of a class-leading smartphone duo that showcase the best of what Android has to offer. But designing great phones in a lab and mass-producing great phones are two very different things, and Google is learning that the hard way in 2017.
We’ve seen a number of problems with the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL rear their ugly heads ever since the phones were released nearly a month ago. The severity of the issues in question range from minor problems like weird ticking sounds and the odd handset being shipped without an OS installed, to major issues like OLED burn-in that occurs after just a few days of using the phone. Now, another new problem has popped up, and this one once again has to do with the Pixel 2 XL’s display.
Early reviews from tech bloggers were overwhelmingly positive, and most didn’t hesitate to recommend Google’s new Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL to prospective buyers. Others weren’t quite as impressed, however, and it turns out that those early reviewers either missed or flat-out ignored some serious problems with Google’s new phones.
At this point you’ve read all about the problems people have seen with display discoloration, and of course you’ve read all about the screen burn-in and even seen images of Pixel 2 XL models that were affected by the problem. Well now, a new display issue has popped up, and a number of Pixel owners have been discussing it on Google’s Pixel 2 community page.
Here’s a message that started one discussion about the issue titled “Pixel 2 XL touch screen dead spots near right edge”:
Does anyone else have this issue? The touchscreen works while sliding my finger along [the edge], but when touching it directly, it doesn’t detect that touch along the edge. It seems like the touch screen is less responsive near the right edge of the screen. Left side of the screen seems a little better. But the right side is noticeable during normal use. Just wondering if this is a defect or not?
In other words, users are finding that the right edge of their displays do not register taps. Some people seem to find that the issue is intermittent while others say it seems like the edge of their display is completely dead. Here’s a video that shows how serious the problem is for some users:
Now, for the good news: as spotted by the blog Android Police, a Google employee posted in that thread to acknowledge the issue. He didn’t just acknowledge it though, he said a fix is on the way. “Thanks for all the reports here, and to those that sent up additional info,” a Google community manager named Orrin wrote. “The team has been investigating, and this will be addressed in a future OTA update. Stay tuned.” And guess what — since Google can push Android software updates directly to the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL rather than having them funnel through carriers, a fix should be coming sooner rather than later.
