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Are you allergic to something? In the event you’re like most individuals, you in all probability have at the least one allergy that retains you from having fun with all the identical issues as another individuals. However what if, in the future, your allergy out of the blue disappeared with no rationalization? To make issues worse, you are still affected by the allergy more often than not; it is only one specific 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 cellphone 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 considering 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 does not negatively have an effect on me in any respect.
Whereas this could be superb and dandy if Google did one thing particular to repair its downside. In an e-mail response, the corporate mentioned it has no remark and wasn’t keen to speak about it. I’ve additionally emailed Samsung many occasions over the previous few months, and the corporate has largely given me a handwringing response more often than not.
One of the best I’ve gotten out of Samsung is that the corporate is “evaluating this subject 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 lead to essential motion taken by the corporate to make sure PWM-sensitive people can proceed shopping for high-end telephones, or that it’ll attempt to make shows that do not trigger extra individuals to turn into delicate to flickering gentle? I am undecided, and the response we have seen from Google, Samsung, and even Apple tells me that none of those corporations needs to be bothered by it.
Secrets and techniques and lies
Like almost all the very best Samsung telephones, the shows Samsung makes for Google’s Pixel telephones flicker at a dangerously low fee 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 information, suggesting even the IEEE did not go far sufficient in its security scores.
In the meantime, show producers like BOE are making shows that push the boundaries of PWM dimming, utilizing refresh charges which are 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 nowadays, forcing customers right into a moderately terrible place.
Traditionally, I have not all the time 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 previously yr. Whereas I will doubtless 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 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 mentioned, “Samsung doesn’t have a remark presently.”
To make issues worse, we virtually 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 concerning the cellphone’s PWM fee and what might need been carried out in a different way, the corporate instructed me it had nothing to share.
While you unbox a Google Pixel 8 Professional proper now, you may 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 consumer of the PWM-sensitive group dug in a bit of additional and located that the September replace really makes use of a unique PWM fee on the Pixel 8 Professional’s show than the October replace. The truth is, Google appears to be like to have initially shipped the Pixel 8 Professional with a PWM fee of 485Hz. That matches most iPhone’s PWM charges and is a far safer fee than the 240Hz that it drops right down to after updating to the October patch.
So why would Google alter this spec after delivery it with a unique spec? I am definitely 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 surprise why neither firm needs to speak about the actual points.
And, once more, the unusual factor is that this show does not trouble me, even whereas working at 240Hz. Based mostly on the suggestions within the PWM group, I am one of many few fortunate ones who can use a Pixel 8 Professional with out destructive results.
I’ve run measurements with my gentle meter, tried all kinds of various experiments, and even consulted the PWM-sensitive group on the matter. But, nobody appears to know why, after utilizing the cellphone for many of October, I can use all of it day with out feeling terrible.
What may be carried out?
At this level, PWM-sensitive customers who’re fascinated about selecting up a Google Pixel 8 Professional can preserve the Pixel 8 Professional on the September replace and take a look at the cellphone at 485Hz. That’ll doubtless assist some customers because it’s the identical fee Apple makes use of on most OLED-powered iPhones.
In the event you’ve already up to date, you’ll be able to all the time flash the September 2023 manufacturing facility pictures in your cellphone to get the higher fee again. Simply take into account that doing this resets all the information on the cellphone, so guarantee every little thing is backed up earlier than continuing.
Clearly, although, that is not a long-term answer because it means you may be lacking out on essential safety updates and Pixel Characteristic Drops over time. In the event you’re fortunate like me, perhaps the up to date 240Hz fee 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 concerning the Pixel 8 Professional’s show ought to work for my eyes. But, for some unusual cause, it does. Do not get me improper, I am actually joyful about this, particularly contemplating the digicam is so darn good. But it surely does not assist me out in the long run and it does not assist clarify why issues are completely different sufficient to work for me as a PWM-sensitive consumer.
Hey, Google. I would love some solutions proper about now. Thanks.
As long as the show does not trouble you, the Pixel 8 Professional is the very best flagship Android cellphone you should buy for the worth. With tons of nice AI options, the very best smartphone digicam ever, and a newly redesigned bundle, the Pixel 8 Professional will wow you each time you choose it up.
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