Google accepts 'display residual light' issue on Pixel 6 Pro, suggests fixes

Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro were launched on 19 October 2021, and some early customers reported screen flickering and green tint issues with the smartphones. Apparently, the new devices from Google have unexpected green tint effects while the screen is off or waking up. The problems seemed to surface online days after the smartphone was up for sale in the United States. 

Along with more such instances, it was found out that the Pixel devices suffer from the issue when the battery runs out. Apparently, upon pressing the power button when no battery is left in the device, the Pixel devices' screen starts to flicker with a green tint on it. Google has recently acknowledged the issue and has released a new support document with a few causes and possible fixes. 

Google acknowledges issues with Pixel 6 Pro

In an official support document launched by Google on 01 November 2021, Google has accepted the screen flickering and green tint issue with their new smartphone, the Pixel 6 Pro. Google terms it as 'display residual light' and says that "Pixel 6 Pro users may notice slight, transient display artefacts when the device is turned off, and when they press on the power button with a slight pressure but not enough to turn it on."

As a temporary solution, Google has also asked users not to press the power button repeatedly when the phone is down.

The official Google support post reads "to avoid seeing this, when the power is off, do not cycle the power button. When you want to use the phone, hold the power button down long enough to turn it on."

The document clearly mentions that the residual light on Google's Pixel 6 Pro display is not an issue related to the hardware of the phone, which also implies that it can be fixed via a software update. 

The document says that the December software update for the Pixel 6 Pro will fix the issue. However, it might be a little uncomfortable for users to pay a hefty amount for a flagship smartphone and then wait for almost a month to get a fix. Screen flickering issues are acceptable in phones that have been used for years. Nevertheless, Pixel 6 Pro users have to wait until December to get the issue fixed.