Users of Google’s Pixel 2 XL are reporting audio problems with the handset, including speaker distortion and rattling or buzzing sounds when the volume level is cranked up around 70%.
“I had it on my first Pixel 2 XL, my new replacement Pixel 2 XL, and my friends pixel 2 XL. I also see quite a few other people having this issue. I think Google should look into this and see whether they can fix it with an update or if it is a hardware issue,” said Pixel User Community member Mchow91.
And the issues appears to be affecting a good slew of Pixel 2 XL users.
“I am experiencing the same issue, Also when making calls I hear distortion in the top speaker. I just switched from iPhone to Pixel 2 XL and I love the software but I’m becoming more and more disappointed in their hardware choices,” said Brandon Marton on the community forums.
“This speaker fuzz makes the call quality feel cheap. The mic transmits feedback sometimes when making calls. When I used my iPhone I couldn’t tell if someone was inside or outside as the mic picked up the voice only.”
With our own Pixel 2 XL, which is running Android 8.1 Oreo, we also noticed the speaker distortion when the volume is cranked up.
Google’s community specialist ‘Thomson’ initially suggested that users reboot their handsets in safe mode, uninstall third-party apps, and carry out a factory reset. But some users reported this didn’t work so Thomson then suggested they contact Google support.
At the time of writing it’s unclear whether the speaker issues are down to a hardware or software problem, though many users in the community forum are suggesting it could be a hardware issue.
Despite being a very impressive Android phone, the Pixel 2 XL had a rather rocky launch with muted display colours, poor display viewing angles, screen burn, and clicking sounds in the earpiece. Google moved to fix most of these issues, but it appears that it hasn’t ironed out all the kinks in its flagship phone just yet.
Related: Best Android phones of 2017
Have you got a Pixel 2 XL and have you experienced issues with it? Let us know on Twitter or Facebook.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
