Google Pixel 2 XL Screen Issues Reported, Might Warrant A Recall

Google Pixel 2 XL screen issues are causing an uproar and could be severe enough to warrant a recall. The Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL made their debut earlier this month and are considered among the best Android smartphones of this year, but the display issues affecting the larger model might put off prospective customers.

The screen issues don’t seem to affect all Pixel 2 XL units, but it does look like plenty of people with review units are experiencing problems. The smaller Pixel 2 has no such issues with its display, or at least none reported so far. Google said that it is actively investigating the Pixel 2 XL screen issues, but no clear explanation is available at this point as to what the root cause may be.

The Pixel 2 is made by HTC and has an AMOLED display, while the Pixel 2 XL is made by LG and sports a plastic OLED (p-OLED) screen. While it’s uncertain, this might have something to do with the fact that only the Pixel 2 XL is experiencing screen issues. The two smartphones will go on sale later this month and by then Google should have a solution ready for the larger handset.

As Android Central first reported, the Pixel 2 XL seems to have screen burn-in issues, with parts of the graphics on the display remaining visible even after moving onto other apps. Most frequently, it seems that the screen navigation buttons leave such burn-in marks, with the phone’s display showing an outline of the buttons even after they’re no longer active on the screen. Android Central’s Alex Dobie took to Twitter to post an image of the issue and others have since confirmed similar experiences.

That's some pretty wild OLED burn-in on the Pixel 2 XL after maybe 7 days of full-time use pic.twitter.com/EPJTs6D0Kg

— Alex Dobie (@alexdobie) October 22, 2017

While screen burn-in is something that eventually happens to OLED screens, it shouldn’t be nearly as quick. Screen burn-in can occur on OLED panels after months or years of intensive use, but on the Pixel 2 XL it seems that the issues appeared after just one week of use.

Screen burn-in is an alarming problem if it occurs in such a short amount of time, but there’s also a slight chance that this is something else. Those outlines could pertain to an image retention issue, also referred to as “ghosting,” which would be preferable. While screen burn-in is there for good once settled in, ghosting may fade away. So far all signs seem to point to burn-in, but it’s not confirmed at this point. Google is aware of the issues and is looking into the matter.

“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,” a Google spokesperson said in a statement to Android Central. “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.”

Since the Google Pixel 2 XL will not hit public availability until October 29, however, it’s tough to estimate at this point just how widespread this problem is. The reported issues are on review units sent ahead of the public release, and it’s possible that such units have some issues that may not be present in the final version.

On the other hand, if Google’s investigation concludes that it is indeed a matter of screen burn-in and it’s affecting a large portion of Pixel 2 XL units, the company might have no choice but to recall the handset to fix the problems. Some people are already asking for a recall, but it remains to be seen what course of action Google will choose to take.

[Featured Image by Jeff Chiu/ AP Images]