Google Pixel 2 XL owners who have been experiencing sluggishness on their smartphones may soon get a free replacement, as Google investigates the possible reasons for the deteriorated performance.
The Pixel 2 XL problems are happening just a few months before the Pixel 3 release date, so whether or not fixes are coming, owners might want to hold on to the smartphones to trade them up for the upcoming new models.
Is Your Google Pixel 2 XL Slow?
Google is reportedly aware of a slowness issue affecting Pixel 2 XL smartphones, as users have complained about the problem in various channels.
Android Police founder Artem Russakovskii was one of the Pixel 2 XL owners who have reported the slowness issue. Fortunately for him, a Google engineer and a public relations person personally went to his house to check what the problem may be. Russakovskii's tweets, however, may be seen as bad news.
The Google engineer and PR person just left after spending about 2 hours analyzing the laggy Pixel 2 XL. Unlike a car that stops making noise when you take it to a mechanic, the phone was extremely laggy to the point that both of them were visibly surprised. — Artem Russakovskii (@ArtemR) August 13, 2018
When a Google engineer and a public relations person are "visibly surprised" on the slowness of the Pixel 2 XL, it would appear that the problem is not just a simple one. A video taken by Russakovskii showed how bad things are for the smartphone, with Google Camera taking 10 seconds to open through the double-tap gesture on the Power button. While waiting, the device is frozen, and touch and swipe gestures are non-functional.
The slowness issue has been experienced on the Pixel 2 XL on Android Oreo, the Android P Developer Preview, and the final Android Pie release.
An anonymous source revealed to 9to5Google that Google has identified three possible reasons for the Pixel 2 XL problems. One of the causes is said to involve hardware, which may lead to a free replacement from Google. The other two, presumably, may be fixed with software update.
Pixel 2 XL To Pixel 3 XL Upgrade
Not all Pixel 2 XL owners are experiencing the slowness issue, but for those who are suffering from sluggishness on their devices, a possible hardware replacement may lead to an upgrade to the upcoming Pixel 3 XL.
Google has not yet officially unveiled the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL. However, a leaked Pixel 3 XL unboxing video revealed that while the smartphone will come with a massive notch, it may come with wired Pixel earbuds with a USB-C connector. A separate Pixel 3 XL hands-on video, meanwhile, confirmed the smartphone's 6.7-inch display and camera specifications, among other things.
