Google Says Pixel 2 XL Screen Burn-In Is Normal, Extends Warranty To 2 Years

Google's response to its investigation into reported screen burn in issues with the Pixel 2 XL most certainly won't make owners happy. If you were expecting a fix for the issue, sadly one may not be coming. Google has published an update on the Pixel 2 XL to its product forums and has basically said the burn-in issue is normal.

Google says that burn-in (differential aging in Google parlance) of the Pixel 2 XL is similar to what happens on OLED panels used in comparable products. In other words, Google is saying every OLED panel does this and that what people are seeing with burn in is normal for an OLED. Google does promise ongoing software updates to "optimize further."

Google wrote:

Regarding differential aging, we put all of our products through extensive quality assurance before launch and in the manufacturing of every unit. Thorough testing of the Pixel 2 XL display shows that its decay characteristics are similar to OLED panels used in comparable products. Our current investigation of burn-in, which started as soon as we received the first user report on October 22, confirms that the differential aging is in line with that of other premium smartphones and should not affect the normal, day-to-day user experience of the Pixel 2 XL. Regardless, we use software to safeguard the user experience and maximize the life of the OLED display, and we’ll make ongoing software updates to optimize further.

Google also addressed claims by some Pixel 2 XL users that the colors on the screen aren't as vibrant as other phones. The search giant says that its design intent with the Pixel XL 2 was to make more natural and accurate colors. Colors on other phones are more tuned for additional vibrancy and Google says it knows that some prefer those more vibrant colors.

It points out that both the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL have an option that boosts color vibrancy by 10%. It will also be adding another mode for more saturated colors that will be offered via a software patch in the next few weeks for both smartphones.

The good news here is that the color issues some have seen are being fixed.  If your Pixel 2 XL woes were about display burn-in, that has seemingly been dubbed normal. Perhaps the promised "ongoing updates" can help that issue. In addition, Google announced that it is extending the warranty of all Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL devices to two years, which should add some relief to customers. As for the Pixel 2 owners experiencing problems with clicking or whining noises, Google will address those concerns with a future software update.