I Cancelled My Google Pixel 2 XL Order, And I’m Bummed

I make no bones about how much of an Android “fanboy” I can be. I love the OS, I love the devices, and I’m completely devoted to the ecosystem. I also consider myself to be somewhat of an Android purist. Using skinned versions of Android, like those found on LG or Samsung devices are typically not good enough for me. Simply put, untouched, untainted, Android is the best way to experience the platform.

So when Google announced the next versions of their flagship Pixel devices, I was frothing at the mouth to get one. After all, last year’s Pixel phones were among my absolute favorites and in my opinion were the best Android phones you could buy. Google had finally figured out the perfect mixture of hardware and software, and if the Pixel was the future of Android phones, then the future looked bright.

Then it happened. Early reports of washed out, dull looking colors in the display started to roll out. First there was one, then three, then more by the day. Given that Google went with a display which runs with an P-OLED with QHD+ configuration, the colors should’ve appeared more natural. Instead, they appeared more washed out which forced Google to push an update through that allowed users to increase the saturation of the display, making it look similar to the Samsung and iPhone panels we’re accustomed to. The biggest red flag from the Pixel 2 XL lies within an issue that most smartphone owners don’t experience for months, sometimes even years down the line. Several Pixel 2 XL owners are claiming they are experiencing screen burn in on their weeks old devices.

Screen burn-in is something that is a huge deal, especially for an $850 phone that hasn’t been out for a full month. For those unfamiliar, screen burn in occurs when the display experiences a permanent discoloration, usually caused by a sharp increase in brightness for a prolonged period of time. This is also commonly referred to as a ghost image, and is typically not fixable. The Pixel 2 (which isn’t experiencing these issues) and the Pixel 2 XL have been widely hailed as the best Android phones to date. The issues that the XL model is experiencing though, are putting a GIANT black eye on the progress the Pixel line has made in the last year.

So, I cancelled my Pixel XL 2 preorder. I am a hardcore Android fan, but I’m not mindless. If I’m going to commit that much money to a phone, I want it to be perfect (at least to me). Right now, the Pixel 2 XL is far from it. If Google decides to pull the phones and proactively replace the panels with better ones, then I’d gladly reorder one. Until then, I’ve been swayed away from my favorite type of device. In the meantime, I’ll have an Essential phone to check out, and who knows….. I may even dabble into an iPhone X.

UPDATE: After receiving a review unit and using it for a week, I have decided to reorder the Pixel 2 XL. I also snagged some of the Pixel buds because….well, technology

Developing…