We all are aware that every major phone launch bumps into hitches now and then about some problem with the hardware/software. Well with the Pixel 4, there are several: the battery may be too small, the face unlock works with your eyes closed, and now the issue with the screen refresh rate comes down to 60Hz and bumps to 90Hz at full brightness, the mechanism is pretty confusing to many users. Now Google has said that it will be announcing a fix for this refresh rate problem via a new update.
A few Redditors have discovered that the refresh rate of the screen will drop to 60 Hz if your screen brightness is less than 75 percent. As per a report by The Verge, the screen will refresh at 90 Hz at lower brightness levels if the ambient lighting in the room is bright enough.
Google said in a statement to The Verge that “In some conditions or situations, we set the refresh rate to 60Hz. Some of these situations include: when the user turns on battery saver, certain content such as video (as it’s largely shot at 24 or 30fps), and even various brightness or ambient conditions. We constantly assess whether these parameters lead to the best overall user experience. We have previously planned updates that we’ll roll out in the coming weeks that include enabling 90 Hz in more brightness conditions.”
This makes two software updates Google has promised for the Pixel 4, one being the 90HZ issue and the other being an update that requires your eyes to be open for face unlock to work. That update is due “in the coming months,” while this screen refresh update is set for the “coming weeks.”
One of the reasons to buy a Pixel phone instead of another Android phone is the guaranteed software updates as Android being the child software of Google. Google is receptive to the complaints but it would have been better if they didn’t have to in the first place.
(With input from agencies)