Are you allergic to something? In case you’re like most individuals, you most likely have no less than one allergy that retains you from having fun with all the identical issues as another folks. However what if, at some point, your allergy all of a sudden disappeared with no rationalization? To make issues worse, you are still affected by the allergy more often than not; it is only one explicit situation the place the allergy appears to be gone.
That is the boat I am in proper now with the Google Pixel 8 Professional, a telephone that, by all rights, ought to make me wish to throw up instantly. Google has used Samsung AMOLED shows on its Pixel telephones because the inception of the product line, and every of those telephones makes use of Pulse Width Modulation (PWM). That is a show trick that is designed to idiot the human mind into pondering the show is brighter or dimmer by flickering the show on and off a number of hundred occasions per second.
However, for some unknown cause, the Pixel 8 Professional’s flickering show would not negatively have an effect on me in any respect.
Whereas this might be wonderful and dandy if Google did one thing particular to repair its drawback. In an e mail response, the corporate stated it has no remark and wasn’t prepared to speak about it. I’ve additionally emailed Samsung many occasions over the previous few months, and the corporate has principally given me a handwringing response more often than not.
The perfect I’ve gotten out of Samsung is that the corporate is “evaluating this matter internally and with our manufacturing companions as we take into account potential future updates.”
That is probably excellent news for its prospects, however will it really end in necessary motion taken by the corporate to make sure PWM-sensitive of us can proceed shopping for high-end telephones, or that it’s going to attempt to make shows that do not trigger extra folks to turn into delicate to flickering gentle? I am unsure, and the response we have seen from Google, Samsung, and even Apple tells me that none of those corporations desires to be bothered by it.
Secrets and techniques and lies
Like practically all of the greatest Samsung telephones, the shows Samsung makes for Google’s Pixel telephones flicker at a dangerously low price of 240Hz (that is 240 occasions per second). I say harmful as a result of these shows do not observe the recommendation of the IEEE flicker-safe specs. There are additionally numerous newly printed analysis papers that again up this knowledge, suggesting even the IEEE did not go far sufficient in its security rankings.
In the meantime, show producers like BOE are making shows that push the bounds of PWM dimming, utilizing refresh charges which might be ten occasions what Samsung is utilizing. That higher ensures delicate customers can really use high-end telephones. In any other case, solely entry-level telephones are utilizing non-flickering shows as of late, forcing customers right into a moderately terrible place.
Corporations like BOE and Visionox are pushing PWM charges larger and better. Why is not Samsung and, by proxy, Apple or Google?
Traditionally, I have not at all times been delicate to PWM dimming. I have been reviewing telephones for 12 years now — and loads of these telephones used flickering OLED shows — however I’ve solely turn into delicate to this flickering prior to now 12 months. Whereas I will probably by no means know for sure, my greatest guess is that my eyes and mind are merely bored with all of the flickering LEDs that now invade our lives.
Corporations like BOE and Visionox have been working particularly to assist alleviate issues like this and forestall extra customers from falling into that “flicker-sensitive” class that I now discover myself in.
Samsung, then again, continues to introduce increasingly more shows with low PWM charges, making me really feel like they merely do not care.
I requested Samsung about what BOE is doing and if the corporate will likely be including to its PWM analysis and improvement, and in an e mail, the corporate stated, “Samsung doesn’t have a remark right now.”
To make issues worse, we nearly had a Pixel 8 Professional with the identical 480Hz PWM frequency as an iPhone, however Google stealthily modified issues in an replace. After I requested Google in regards to the telephone’s PWM price and what may need been carried out in a different way, the corporate informed me it had nothing to share.
The Pixel 8 Professional shipped with a better PWM price than Pixels traditionally have had, solely to have that quantity minimize in half with the October safety patch.
Once you unbox a Google Pixel 8 Professional proper now, you will discover that it makes use of the September 2023 Android 14 replace. This is not really the ultimate model of Android 14 since that did not launch till October, that means the Pixel 8 Professional ships with a prerelease model of the OS.
One person of the PWM-sensitive neighborhood dug in a bit additional and located that the September replace really makes use of a distinct PWM price on the Pixel 8 Professional’s show than the October replace. In reality, Google appears to be like to have initially shipped the Pixel 8 Professional with a PWM price of 485Hz. That matches most iPhone’s PWM charges and is a far safer price than the 240Hz that it drops all the way down to after updating to the October patch.
So why would Google alter this spec after delivery it with a distinct spec? I am actually not advocating that Google or Samsung are deliberately harming their customers, however this unusual change brings up quite a lot of questions. And it additionally makes me marvel why neither firm desires to speak about the true points.
And, once more, the unusual factor is that this show would not trouble me, even whereas working at 240Hz. Based mostly on the suggestions within the PWM neighborhood, I am one of many few fortunate ones who can use a Pixel 8 Professional with out damaging results.
I’ve run measurements with my gentle meter, tried all types of various experiments, and even consulted the PWM-sensitive neighborhood on the matter. But, nobody appears to grasp why, after utilizing the telephone for many of October, I can use all of it day with out feeling terrible.
What will be carried out?
At this level, PWM-sensitive customers who’re excited by selecting up a Google Pixel 8 Professional can hold the Pixel 8 Professional on the September replace and take a look at the telephone at 485Hz. That’ll probably assist some customers because it’s the identical price Apple makes use of on most OLED-powered iPhones.
In case you’ve already up to date, you may at all times flash the September 2023 manufacturing facility photographs in your telephone to get the higher price again. Simply understand that doing this resets all the information on the telephone, so guarantee every little thing is backed up earlier than continuing.
Clearly, although, that is not a long-term resolution because it means you will be lacking out on necessary safety updates and Pixel Function Drops over time. In case you’re fortunate like me, perhaps the up to date 240Hz price will not trouble you for some odd cause.
It is doable that placing strain on Google will get them to revert to the preliminary 485Hz PWM frequency the Pixel 8 Professional shipped at, however I am not holding my breath.
Nothing in regards to the Pixel 8 Professional’s show ought to work for my eyes. But, for some unusual cause, it does. Do not get me fallacious, I am actually completely happy about this, particularly contemplating the digicam is so darn good. However it would not assist me out in the long run and it would not assist clarify why issues are totally different sufficient to work for me as a PWM-sensitive person.
Hey, Google. I would love some solutions proper about now. Thanks.
As long as the show would not trouble you, the Pixel 8 Professional is one of the best flagship Android telephone you should buy for the value. With tons of nice AI options, one of the best smartphone digicam ever, and a newly redesigned bundle, the Pixel 8 Professional will wow you each time you choose it up.