Several customers who bought the original Pixel model from 2016 have long complained about issues with its microphone. Since they haven't been resolved, Google now faces a class action lawsuit that alleges the company knew about such issues and sold the phone regardless.
Google's Pixel and Pixel XL handsets suffer from a hairline crack in the solder connection on the audio codec, the company confirmed a while back. As a result, some suffered microphone issues, often making it impossible to make phone calls or spit out voice commands.
But Google says only 1 percent of all Pixel phones exhibit the defect. However, the lawsuit states that just a few weeks after the device was launched, customers were already making complaints about the microphone. Google did not offer refunds, but instead replaced affected units with new ones — yet the problem persisted. Worse, Google continued selling the phones despite growing evidence of the issues.
Google Microphone Issue
Google acknowledged the aforementioned issued back in March 2017, offering details about the hairline crack and claiming that the way the phone is held or its temperature can influence the stability of the device's microphone.
How To Join The Lawsuit
Readers who have experienced the issue mentioned above may qualify in the lawsuit. In fact, even those who didn't experience problems are still covered by the lawsuit, as it states that the case affects "all individuals in the United States who purchased a Google Pixel or Pixel XL smartphone, other than for resale, between October 4, 2016 and the present."
That's basically it. If you bought an original Pixel or Pixel XL phone at any point starting Oct. 4, 2016, then you're qualified to join the class action lawsuit, regardless if your phone exhibited problems or not. Once a trial is approved, customers will most likely get a notification providing info on how to actively participate in the case. It might also explain how to properly file a claim suppose the court rules against Google and rewards participants with a certain sum, like what happened with the LG bootloop lawsuit.
Google Hardware Defects
Hardware defects have been a recurring theme for Google's Pixel handsets, which have otherwise garnered critical acclaim for the overall Android experience they offer, plus the stunning camera. Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL users have complained about screen burn-in issues, tinted displays, and muted microphones. As a result, Google extended the warranty of the phones to two years. That wasn't the case for the original Pixel, however. There are now also lawsuits against the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL.
Thoughts about the lawsuit? Are you an original Pixel or Pixel XL owner? As always, feel free to sound off in the comments section below!
