Looks like muted colors isn't the only issue that early Google Pixel 2 XL owners are noticing with the screens on their new phones.
Several Google Pixel 2 XL owners have spotted some screen burn-in. You can see an example below courtesy of Android Central’s Alex Dobie, who shows some burn-in of the Pixel 2 XL’s navigation buttons after 7 days of use.
That's some pretty wild OLED burn-in on the Pixel 2 XL after maybe 7 days of full-time use pic.twitter.com/EPJTs6D0Kg
— Alex Dobie (@alexdobie) October 22, 2017
Google has issued a statement on the issue, saying that it puts its products through extensive testing before launch and during manufacturing and that it’s “actively investigating” this report of Pixel 2 XL screen burn-in.
Here’s Google’s full statement to The Verge:
"The Pixel 2 XL screen has been designed with an advanced POLED technology, including QHD+ resolution, wide color gamut, and high contrast ratio for natural and beautiful colors and renderings. We put all of our products through extensive quality testing before launch and in the manufacturing of every unit. We are actively investigating this report."
It’s been speculated that these Pixel 2 XL units could be suffering from image retention, which would be less of an issue since it’s not permanent. There’s still a chance that it’s burn-in, though, which is concerning because it’s happening within a week of use on an expensive, flagship smartphone. And when you combine this news with the complaints that some others have had about the Pixel 2 XL’s screen, like having muted colors, some would-be Pixel 2 XL buyers may decide to hold off on making a purchase.