Tag: Google Pixel 2 XL

Google has released the January 2018 Android Security Update patches for the Google Nexus and Pixel lineup of devices.  Normally the patches are released on the first Monday of the first full week in any given month.  Given that yesterday was New Years Day and a holiday, it was delayed until today.

Like previous Android Security Update patches, there are two that have been released.  The first patch is dated January 1 and primarily focuses on core Android fixes and addressing security vulnerabilities.  In this patch there are a total of 20 fixes included, four of which are considered critical fixes.

From a stats perspective, the camera in the Pixel 2 XL is better than that of the original Pixel XL.  But if you can pick up a deal on the Pixel XL, are you sacrificing too much in photo quality?  That’s the question that fellow Google Top Contributor Scott Peachey tries to answer in his latest comparison.

Scott gives a detailed overview of the cameras in both the 2 XL and the original XL from a video, images and selfie images of both devices (he even squeezes in some Pixel 2 discussion in there too).  He explains his method for testing and you can see the results of the comparison in the six minute video.

To say that the launch of the Google Pixel 2 lineup is off to a rocky start would be an understatement.  There has been a huge amount of debate about the display on the devices and audio issues that have cause distorted audio or “popping” sounds.  Google’s addressed the display issues both with an explanation and some software tweaks that will be coming to the devices.  Now we know that there will be fixes for the audio challenges too.

According to CNET, Google has told them that fixes for the audio issues on the Pixel 2 are in the works and will be rolling out “in a few weeks”.  When is a few weeks exactly?  Not sure but it is unlikely to be bundled in the November Android Security Update.  That should be released next Monday, November 6th.  It will likely be a supplemental update for the phones.

The release of the Google Pixel 2 lineup should have gone much better.  The phones were highly touted, packed with a lot of power and Artificial Intelligence.  But it hasn’t been a smooth road.  Users of the phones started reporting screen issues, popping sounds and other issues with the flagship devices.  Google, who began investigating the issues immediately, has now indicated their plan to address the issues.

First, the Pixel 2 lineup will come with a two year warranty.  This is to put people at ease when considering the phone and is one of the longest warranties out there for a smartphone.  Google clearly thinks that the phone’s operations and design are fine and are backing it up.

Second, Google plans to address the popping sound and some of the screen items through software updates.  Those should start rolling out as soon as November.  But it should be said that when Google explained the display issue in their Product Forums, it didn’t satisfy everyone.  The reality is, Google’s response and how they plan to address the issue is spot-on.

When the Google Pixel 2 lineup was released a couple of weeks ago, the new phones, like the first generation, were announced to have free uploading of original quality photos to Google Photos.  For those not familiar with Google Photos, original quality photos normally count against your Google Drive quota (which is leveraged by Photos) but compressed, high quality photos, don’t count against it.  Normally for photos under 16MP high quality is a great option because it is pretty lossless.

After the release of the Pixel 2 phones, it was noticed that the original quality uploading for free ended in 2020.  It cause a lot of confusion:  What happens to my photos I’ve uploaded already?  Do they get deleted?  Do they get compressed?  Thanks to an APK tear down by the Android Police team, we have a clearer answer.

With the launch of the Google Pixel 2 and 2 XL yesterday, there are still things being uncovered about the new phones and Google’s support of them.  One thing that has come to light is the length of the upgrades and support windows for these new devices.

Traditionally, Google has had their support windows for 2 years.  That meant that you would get two major versions of Android on that device and then another year of security updates.  For example, the Google Pixel XL, my phone, shipped with Android Nougat in 2016.  That means I will get Android Oreo (which I have), and Android P.  That’ll be it for major updates but I’ll get another year of security updates.

For the Pixel 2 lineup, Google is now extending that major update window to three years.  That means that the phones announced yesterday could well see Android R.