14 DAY TRIAL // Google can finally say that it has put the Pixel and Pixel XL audio issue behind it, after the company released a fix included in yesterday’s February security update. Google didn’t say too much about the fix, only that it resolves 36 issues, some critical.
A little bit of context is in order. In December last year, Reddit user Mark Buckman exchanged four Pixel XL models after an audio issue persisted on all of them and on his wife’s Pixel. The issue caused an audio distortion on the two phones when the volume was set at one of the three highest levels.
The user later found a fix, but it involved flashing a custom ROM on the phone, which might not be at hand for other Pixel owners. Later, Google admitted that this was a hardware issue and offered the user who discovered the issue a full refund with the return of his Pixel XL phone.
However, there was a leaked email in which Google claimed that this wasn’t a hardware issue, but a software-related one and that a fix would be provided in a future update.
Audio distortion issue finally fixed
In any case, the latest security patch seems to have solved the issue, but oddly enough, Google didn’t make an official announcement. The fix isn’t mentioned in the changelog, which means that it might roll out gradually to users.
It’s difficult to say at this point if the issue will be fixed on all Pixel smartphones, but we tested our Pixel XL with the latest security patch and found that the audio distortion was in fact gone.
The best way to test your Pixel or Pixel XL phone is to get the Perfect Piano app, which Mark Buckman used for finding the bug. Set the volume at the highest level and tap your finger on the screen to test the audio.
The February security patch started rolling out yesterday, but the availability depends on country and carrier.