Google considers 'fixing' the Pixel 2 XL's display colors
It's addressing complaints that the screen isn't as vivid as what rivals offer.
While Google's Pixel 2 XL has generally been well-received, there have been some complaints about its LG-made P-OLED screen. It's supposed to reflect "natural" colors, but many see it as downright dull after years of seeing extra-punchy OLED displays from Samsung and other phone makers. What if you want that explosion of color? You might just get it. A Google spokesperson tells 9to5Google that it's considering adding color options to the Pixel 2 XL beyond the "vivid colors" toggle you see today. It knows that some users want more saturation, and it's open to software updates to add that "if that makes the product better." Nothing is set in stone, then, but it's promising.
The 2 XL has reignited a long-running debate in the mobile world: is it better to have color-accurate screen, or an exaggerated but potentially more pleasing screen? They both have merits. Bold colors will make photos and videos pop, but accuracy is better if you want to be sure that your snapshots reflect what you really saw. There's a concern that some people are so used to punched-up colors that the 2 XL's more accurate display seems lifeless -- and without many options to tweak that display, prospective buyers either have to accept Google's current approach or find another phone.
As it is, any options won't completely address concerns about the P-OLED panel. It also produces a bluish tint when you look at the screen off-angle, and that's clearly due to hardware alone. While it's not going to wreck the experience (you do tend to look at a phone head-on while you're using it), you don't see this in many other OLED screens. Google and LG took a bit of a gamble on the larger Pixel's visuals, and it's not entirely clear that this bet paid off.
