Google Pixel 2 XL

Google Assistant can do a lot of powerful things, and thanks to new gestures, it’s easier to get to than ever on the Pixel 2. Now, Google has quietly added a way to make troubleshooting your Pixel 2 easier with the help of the Assistant.

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Since their October launch, the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL have sporadically been in stock on the Google Store. This evening, 2017’s Made by Google phones in all unlocked configurations are available with not too outrageous ship dates.

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The Google Pixel 2 XL is a fantastic smartphone, but the issues with it just keep rolling in, specifically relating to the display. Recently, a handful of Pixel 2 XL owners have taken to Google’s product forums with a new issue — unresponsive touchscreen edges.

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Pixel phones feature a host of customizations from Google that aim to optimize the user experience with useful features. On the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, one of these is a Driving Do-Not-Disturb mode. Google today detailed it and announced that the API powering it would be made available for other developers.

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Google just can’t catch a break with the Pixel 2 XL’s screen, or, more accurately, with its terrible quality control on this phone. Along with burn-in, “tearing,” and weak oleophobic coatings, another issue is popping up — screen “flashing.”

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One of the software steps that Google announced to address the Pixel 2 XL’s burn-in issues was to encourage apps to adopt a light navigation bar. Settings in the Android 8.1 Developer Preview was one of those apps and now the Google app is following along.

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When Google unveiled the Pixel 2 and 2 XL, the company offered every customer who ordered one of the new smartphones during a promotional period a free Home Mini. If you’re someone who took advantage of this deal, check your email as the discount code is being sent out right now…

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When we discovered that Google would be shipping the Pixel 2 and 2 XL without a headphone jack, it’s safe to say that a majority of our readers were not happy. To make up for that missing port, it seems logical that Google would follow in the footsteps of other companies and include a pair of wired USB-C headphones, right? Well, the search giant did work on that option but didn’t follow through with it.

So, if you’re looking for an inexpensive pair wired USB-C headphones that work with the Pixel 2, look no further than below…

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Earlier today, Google released the November security patch for its Nexus and Pixel devices. For the Pixel 2 and Pixel XL, this update contains fixes for the various screen issues, including more color modes and additional burn-in protections.

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Several months ago, Google added a section in the main Android Security Bulletin that listed patches specific to Pixel and Nexus devices. For October, that list was broken out into a dedicated “Pixel / Nexus Security Bulletin.” With the November patch, Google has added a section detailing “Functional updates” like bug fixes for its devices.

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The Google Pixel 2 XL is expensive, and the last thing I want to do is damage it. I’ve mostly been using the XL in a case since the day I received my device, but for the first week or so, the screen went completely unprotected. The reason for that being that there are barely any decent screen protectors on the market right now. Now, I’ve finally found one that suits my needs from IQShield.

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Google’s primary marketing line for the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL is to have users “Ask more” of their phones. In addition to billboards teasing last month’s event, Google has released a new ad with the tagline that some viewers saw in front of movies over the weekend.

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I spent my first several days with the Google Pixel 2 XL tearing its display to pieces. In light of concerns regarding its quality that were brought up in the first round of reviews (including ours) I wanted to know exactly what its shortcomings were. Lots of units — mine included — had burn-in/image persistence issues, blue tint shift, black smear, graininess, and other undesirable qualities. None of these issues are entirely unique to the Pixel 2 XL, but I came to the conclusion that Google’s flagship seems to suffer from them more than average at this price point. I stand by that.

I took it upon myself to look at every one of these problems under a microscope so that anyone that cared — which, I know, in the grand scheme of things is a tiny minority of Google’s target market — could know exactly what they’re getting in comparison to other flagships, the smaller Pixel 2, and even last year’s original Pixel. But even with all of the problems I’ve hounded on and pixel peeping I’ve admittedly done, I’ve finally come to a conclusion on this display: It’s not bad enough to keep me away.

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The software experience on the Pixel 2 isn’t the most advanced out there, but little touches enabled with the hardware make it a great experience. Things like swiping the fingerprint sensor to pull down the notification tray or squeezing the phone for Assistant are great, but apparently, Google was working on another gesture for the camera…

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Google’s Pixel 2 XL has a lot of great attributes, but the lack of proper quality control on a lot of units is what’s causing issues for users. Display issues aside, though, another strange issue has popped up — some users are reporting that their Pixel 2 XLs are arriving without a crucial element: Android.

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In addition to launching an Android One device this morning, HTC announced the U11+ with a massive battery, the latest specs, and 8.0 Oreo. A new report now suggests that this device was “originally intended” to be “muskie” — the shelved Google Pixel 2 XL from HTC.

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Google’s Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are great phones, but they do have some inherent issues (especially the XL). To help smooth things over a bit, Google extended the warranty on both phones to two years, and now, that’s making a change to Google’s protection program.

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The camera on the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL is the best in the business, and it’s just going to get better thanks to a trick Google had hidden from public view — a fully custom chipset that improves HDR+ functionality. That was supposed to be enabled in Android 8.1, but it seems that’s been pushed back to the second developer preview.

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