Google Pixel 4's 90Hz Display Will Not Work With These 4 Apps

One of the major features of the Google Pixel 4 is its display that automatically swaps between 60 Hz and 90 Hz refresh rates depending on various scenarios. However, due to the AOSP code, we now have an idea about the four specific apps that Google blacklisted from using the 90 Hz refresh rate. Earlier, we reported that Google’s latest flagship device automatically disables the 90 Hz refresh rate option when it is running at a lower brightness level.

9to5google’s Dylan Roussel recently discovered from the available source code for both Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL, a list of applications. Based on the latest discovery, if any of the four apps are on-screen, even picture-in-picture or split-screen, the Google Pixel 4 will not run at 90 Hz smooth display. The four blacklisted apps are Google Maps, Waze, Pokemon Go, and WeChat.

The app on the list with the most problem is Google Maps because of its picture in picture navigation, according to the report. Users using Google Maps in picture-in-picture will find their Google Pixel 4 device locked at 60 Hz even if other open apps support the refresh rate. The move also makes sense for the app “Pokemon Go.”

Disabling the 90 Hz smooth display will prevent the Google Pixel 4 from using excess and unnecessary power for the display. Niantic, the team behind the successful augmented reality game, earlier, capped the game at 30 frames per second. Some OnePlus 7 Pro owners also discovered earlier that some parts of the augmented reality game like throwing curveballs are difficult on high refresh rate displays because of the game’s design.

Several explanations for blacklisting the three other apps from using a 90 Hz refresh rate on Google Pixel 4 are sensible and disappointing. Waze and Google maps, for instance, are already working on locking the frame rate to not more than 60FPS, but changes did not push through ahead of the release of Google’s latest flagship device. WeChat surprisingly disabled the 90Hz refresh rate because of poor performance.

Google has yet to comment on this latest discovery about the 90 Hz refresh rate of Google Pixel 4 and the four apps restricted from accessing it.