Some Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL Users Report Clicking Sound, Black Smear on Display Issues

It seems there's no end to issues related to Google's newly released Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL smartphones. Within a month of release, several users have already reported multiple issues including burn-in issue with the P-OLED screen on the Pixel 2 XL as well as durability issue on the new Pixel hardware. Now, fresh reports have surfaced where some Pixel 2 users are noticing clicking and high-pitched sounds from their units. Separately, several Pixel 2 XL users have reported another issue with the display panel - black smear - a common issue with OLED panels though the situation is said to be far worse than should be expected on the brand new Pixel 2 XL.

Several users have thronged to the Pixel User Community forum with reports the clicking sound issue on the Pixel 2 unit. "Pixel 2 high pitch frequency sound and clicking when the screen is on and unlocked with ear up to the device like you are on a phone call. This also happens after a reboot, safe mode, airplane mode, and factory reset. I purchased two Pixel 2 phones both have the high-frequency noise but only one has the clicking," noted one of the users on the forum. Google has acknowledged the issue on the Pixel 2 units, and has promised a patch next week.

Google addressed the concerns of a Pixel 2 user named Christopher Birkett who raised the issue with the company. It said, "This is a known issue that is being addressed with the next patch update that is being released this upcoming week. Sorry for the inconvenience in the meantime."

In a later reply, Orrin, a Google Community Manager, said the issue does not affect the performance of the smartphone, and suggested a workaround."This clicking noise does not affect the performance of your device beyond the audible noise. If you find the noise bothersome, we suggest temporarily turning off NFC (used by apps like Android Pay) in Settings > Connected devices > NFC. We are investigating and will have a more definitive response soon."

A separate issue has been reported by some Pixel 2 XL - black smearing on display , which can be seen when the screen has low-brightness. The issue is said to be a familiar one for OLED panels though the Pixel 2 XL is reported to be badly affected. In a series of tweets by Stephen Hall of 9to5Google, the Pixel 2 XL screen can be seen showing black smears during transition from top of the screen to navigating towards the bottom which can also be said as blue shift issue.

A Google spokesperson responded to the complaints, and said, "The demand for Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL has exceeded our expectations, and we're thrilled with the positive reaction to our new phones, both from the reviewers who have tried and tested our devices thoroughly and from consumers who are switching to Pixel. We take all reports of issues very seriously, and our engineers investigate quickly. We will provide updates as soon as we have conclusive data."

In another reported issue related to the Pixel 2 smartphone, a Reddit user said that he received a unit despite it failing the quality control which is a standard test done before shipping the handset. Redditor named dpezet ordered Pixel 2 Quite Black variant with 128GB storage from Google Store. Though, it was surprising to find a slip of paper from the quality control line of the company mentioning that the unit failed. "I ordered the Quite Black 128GB unlocked model directly from the Google Store. I cut the tape seal, opened up the box, and was greeted with a blue slip of paper informing me the unit had 'Cosmetic damage.' I'm working with Google support to sort it out, but it is still a little disappointing," detailed the user.

The Pixel 2 is said to have been manufactured by HTC, and one can presume the quality control test must be handled by the Taiwanese brand only. The user later received a confirmation from Google on the replacement unit, alongside a meagre 10 Google Play credit as a peace offering.

It's not new to see Pixel users facing multiple issues as you can look in this post which includes several issues reported since launch of the first Pixel smartphone.