At A Glance
- Google has hinted at a vital display upgrade coming to the Pixel 10
- Google addresses concerns about eye strain related to PWM dimming technology.
- The upgrade could fix one of the few remaining issues with Google’s otherwise excellent display.
Google has teased a crucial Pixel display quality upgrade, likely to arrive later this year with the Pixel 10 range. The upgrade should alleviate the eye strain some users experience when using OLED displays, like those used in the current Pixel 9 series. This is particularly important for the Pixel 10 display, as users have been vocal about this issue.
Google Could Fix A Crucial Pixel 9-series Problem.
According to a recent report from Android Central, Google is considering a much-needed improvement to the display technology used in its Pixel smartphones that could dramatically improve eye comfort by reducing display flicker. The upgrade could arrive with the Pixel 10 series later this year.
The Pixel 9 range scores very highly in display tests but lags behind the competition in terms of display flicker, which can cause problems such as eye strain and headaches for some users who are particularly sensitive to the phenomenon.
According to the report, a Google representative has now stated that “their teams are aware and investigating this. You can expect updates later this year.” This revelation strongly suggests that Pixel devices will produce less flicker in the future, although it is unclear whether this will require new hardware, such as the Pixel 10, or if Google can apply a software patch to existing phones.
Pixel 9 Display: PWM Dimming and Eye Strain Concerns
Like most devices with OLED screens, the Pixel 9 series uses Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) dimming technology to control display brightness. PWM dimming controls the brightness of the screen by rapidly turning the display’s pixels on and off. Ideally, this switching occurs so quickly that the human visual system “smooths out” any flickering effects and perceives a change in screen brightness instead (see below).
However, many people remain sensitive to this flickering, resulting in frequent complaints of eye strain and headaches. These adverse effects become more pronounced as the frequency of flickering decreases, so many smartphone manufacturers attempt to mitigate the problem by increasing the PWM frequency to a much higher rate.
Google’s Pixel 9 and 9 Pro-series smartphones offer some of the best-quality displays in terms of color accuracy and readability. Still, they retain a relatively slow PWM frequency of 240 Hz, a speed that Dxomark, an independent testing site, deems “bad” for perceived flicker.
Dxomark expects that fewer than one in five of the population will be able to perceive PWM flickering on the Pixel 9 Pro, but that’s still a very sizable proportion of potential users. Furthermore, the adverse effects of PWM dimming can still occur, even if the viewer is not consciously aware of the flickering.
Pixel 10 Could Fix Long-standing Pixel Display Issue
Google could reduce the effects of PWM flicker by increasing the frequency to a much higher level or by adding specific eye health modes that switch to different dimming technologies that don’t cause flickering.
Samsung doubled the display PWM frequency from 240Hz to 480Hz starting with last year’s Galaxy S24 Series, and Apple also reportedly uses the same 480Hz frequency in its OLED-based models, such as the iPhone 16 Pro. However, many still perceive flicker even at these increased frequencies. This has prompted some rival devices to go much further, such as the Honor Magic7 Pro, which boasts a PWM frequency as high as 4,300Hz, although its real-world effectiveness remains disputed.
Google might be able to improve flicker issues on current Pixel devices. Enthusiasts have successfully unlocked higher PWM dimming frequencies on Pixel 8 Pro, for example. However, these solutions often result in degraded color fidelity and other display quality issues. This means a comprehensive solution might require updated display hardware, i.e., a new Pixel 10-series smartphone.
What Is PWM Dimming And Why Does It Cause Flicker?
Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) dimming is a technique used by many smartphones to control the display’s brightness. Rather than turning the power or voltage up and down like a traditional dimmer switch, PMW adjusts the perceived brightness of the screen by rapidly turning the display fully on and fully off several hundred times per second.
The desired brightness level is achieved by balancing the amount of time the display is turned on with the time it is turned off. More time spent on results in a brighter display, and more time spent off results in lower perceived brightness.
If this switching happens quickly enough, any flickering should be imperceptible to the human eye. However, sensitivity to this flickering can vary significantly from person to person, with some reporting symptoms of eye strain, headaches, and vertigo after just a few minutes of using the display.
The critical factor determining eye comfort is the PWM frequency, with higher frequencies resulting in fewer complaints from users. A frequency of 240Hz (as used in the Pixel 8 series) is now considered low, and some people still experience ill effects at 480Hz. IEEE Standard 1789 suggests using flicker frequencies of over 1,000 Hz to mitigate issues.
PWM dimming is typically used in OLED displays because it is cheaper to implement than directly adjusting the power level supplied to the display. It also results in improved picture quality as color response can change in unpredictable ways when the OLED displays are operated at less than full power.
Pixel 10 Display: Looking Ahead
Improving the PWM frequency on the Pixel 10 is a crucial step if Google is to avoid falling behind the competition, especially given recent advancements made by iPhone and Samsung flagships. While the technical details of PWM dimming will mean little to most customers, a significant number who are sensitive to screen flicker will be less likely to return their devices if the flickering is reduced.
Google’s current Pixel displays are already excellent. Reducing flicker could be the final piece of the puzzle, and potential eye health benefits could serve as a powerful marketing tool for the Pixel 10.
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