Google Pixel 4 Low-Brightness Issue Addressed In January 2020 Patch

Google has finally released a patch update that deals with problems on the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL smartphones, among other models.

The recent months saw a lot of Pixel 4XL users complaining about seeing a green tint on their devices' displays once the brightness level is set to low. Various users commenting over on Reddit and the Google support site complained that they saw the unsightly green tint, which makes using the device at night or in low-light conditions unappealing.

Some of the users said they saw the problem appear when they force the device to use 90Hz refresh rate at low brightness levels. Some, on the other hand, said it is caused by the night light feature, and that by turning the feature off the problem will disappear even at 0% brightness.

Those who find the problem annoying will be relieved to know that Google has finally decided to release a patch update to deal with the issue and more. Android Police reported that Google has officially released the OTA files and factory images of the update patch for the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL, as well as older models Pixel 3/3 XL, Pixel 3a/3a XL, and Pixel 2/2 XL.

The patch notes indicate that it includes a “Fix for color shifting at lower brightness” for the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL. This fix should do away with the unsightly green tint that appears when the brightness is set to lower levels.

AP noted that it's unclear as to why Google would release the same fix for the Pixel 4, since the model doesn't seem to suffer from the same issue. Apparently, Google wants its bases covered. It's better to have that fix before the trouble ever occurs.

Aside from the fix for the low-brightness issue, the patch also includes a “Fix for notification display in UI,” a “Fix for NGA/flashlight toggle function,” a system-level fix for when the devices get “stuck during boot on Android 10,” a fix for when the WiFi crashes “on certain enterprise APs,” improvements to the display for the WeChat app, and “various stability fixes.”

Users can sideload or flash the update manually, or simply wait for Google to release it over the air.