Will the Pixel 4 XL Fix Google’s Display Problems?
The Pixel 4 XL maintains its battery life by reducing display brightness to 444 nits. And while that’s likely enough indoors, outside is a different story. True, there are ways to root the phone, most users won’t. Rather than bricking your expensive new phone, the 4 XL may have solutions.
Some methods to fix display issues are more straightforward than others. When in doubt, contact your nearest retailer for more information.
Install November’s Patch
Those with the Pixel 4 series since last year may already have an answer. A patch released in November helped to restore white balance to photos. For an unspecified reason, many images had their coloration appear off, even in ideal settings. Reds, especially, seemed troublesome for Google’s product line.
Unfortunately, the camera lenses were a primary selling point, leading to much disappointment. And while the patch came out months ago, not everyone has it downloaded.
If you can’t seem to balance your photos, check for an update. It may prove all you need to take up photography again.
The 4 XL Can Boost Its Brightness
In general, the phone switches to a brighter display when watching HDR videos. However, what about all the times you aren’t doing that?
One workaround is rooting your phone, which isn’t always ideal. Doing so will, though, give you a couple hundred more nits to enjoy.
There also are paid kernel apps that force the display brightness higher. Unfortunately, Google keeps the setting buried deep away from most users.
While other phones offer higher nits, it isn’t a guaranteed improvement. Some companies achieve better brightness with fewer nits based on the AMOLED used.
Try Resetting Adaptive Brightness Settings
A reasonable explanation for your display problems could be to change your settings. Adaptive brightness, especially, is a great starting point at a quick DIY fix. As the name suggests, adaptive brightness is how intuitively your Pixel 4 XL adjusts. The higher the value, the stronger the display, and vice versa.
And since it automatically detects brightness and white balance, it may need recalibrating. Simply click through your display settings to advanced settings to find it. You might want to also play with the dark display theme. It may make it harder to see the screen, especially while outside.
The Splotch Test
Some users suffer from seeing splotches of color on their displays. For most, it’s a pink or even a gray spot they can’t shoo away. While a hint of color is sometimes nice, it’s not often a desired trait in your cellphone display. After downloading the officially released patches, many people reportedly stopped seeing them. However, it is still an issue that many struggles with, making it an all-too-common nuisance.
Unfortunately, with display problems like this, it’s probably a hardware issue. You may need to return it and exchange it for a different Pixel 4 XL. You can also try a factory reset, seeing if it fixes a hidden setting. Or, try out a different model to see if it’s a problem with AMOLED screens.